Amphibians of the Pajarito Plateau

Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum

This large, stocky, colorful (black with yellow, white, or cream spots) salamander lives its entire life underground, emerging only to reproduced. The tiger salamander is terrestrial as an adult but returns to the water to reproduce. The female salamander lays her eggs in water (ponds, pools, slow moving streams, sewage lagoons). Soon the eggs hatch into free swimming larvae called waterdogs, which can be distinguished from tadpoles of frogs by the external gills. The adults are primarily burrowing animals and are active above ground only during wet periods. They can be found in animal burrows, under porches, and in basements of buildings. They eat other amphibians, small mice, earthworms, and large insects.

Jemez Mountains Salamander, Plethodon neomexicanus

This small, brown to black salamander is listed as a species of concern by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and as threatened by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. They lack lungs and breathe through mucous membranes in the mouth and throat. The Jemez Mountains salamander resembles a worm with legs and eyes and is found in and under rotting coniferous logs. The Jemez Salamander lives its entire lifecycle on land. This salamander eats ants, flies, beetles, mites, and snails.

Canyon treefrog, Hyla arenicolor

In the spring, the walls of White Rock canyon echo with the call ("ba-a-a") of the Canyon treefrog. This frog is camouflaged, and its color depends of the rocks to which it clings. The tips of the toes are expanded into small adhesive disks that allow the frog to cling tightly to rock surfaces. While this frog may be mistaken for a toad, it is distinguished from toads by its large toe pads and the unique shape of the iris of its eye. The size varies, but these frogs are smaller than the palm of one's hand. The frog breeds in streams and in rain pools on rock cliffs.

Western chorus frog, Pseudacris triseriata

This is a brown, olive green, or grayish frog with a dark stripe that extends through the nostril to the groin. It is small, less than two inches, but it has a mighty loud voice, and in the early spring (April-March) the "crrrreeek" or "prrreep" (similar to the sound made by running a fingernail over the small teeth of a pocket comb) can be heard in areas where there is slow moving water.

Woodhouse's Toad, Bufo woodhousii

This large toad can be identified by its dry skin covered with many warts of different sizes. The overall body color is patterned olive green or greenish over a darker color with a light stripe down the middle of the back. The belly is whitish, many times spotted dark on the chest between the forelegs. It lives near permanent water and rests in shallow burrows during the day.

Spadefoot toad, Spea spp.

There are two species of spadefoot toads that may be found in New Mexico, the New Mexico spadefoot (Spea multiplicata, photo) and the Plains spadefoot (Spea bombifrons). All spadefoots have smooth skin and darkened horn spades on their hind feet. They have vertical pupils in their eyes. The species is largely nocturnal and spends most of its life buried in soil, emerging to breed only when conditions are right. Spadefoot toads are adapted to arid conditions. When the summer temperature and moisture is just right they will quickly breed and produce hundreds of tadpoles. Some years they do not breed at all.