A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
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Key to Identifying California Frogs and Toads
California Frogs and Toads: |
This is not a scientific key to identifying frogs and toads found in California. It is meant to be used as a basic tool for the novice who wants to identify a frog or toad by its appearance. If you have any problems with this key, or suggestions on how to improve it, please send me feedback. |
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1. Does the frog or toad you want to identify have enlarged toe pads or straight toes? |
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| Enlarged Toe Tips Click Here |
Straight Toe Tips Go to part 2 directly below |
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2. Frogs and Toads with toe tips that are straight (not enlarged) |
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Does the frog or toad have vertical or horizontal pupils? |
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| Horizontal Pupils Go to Part 4 |
Vertical Pupils Go to part 3 directly below |
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3. Frogs and Toads with toe tips that are straight (not enlarged) and vertical pupils |
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Does the frog or toad have a hardened black spade on the back of the hind feet, or a dark line through the eye? |
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| Black Spade on Hind Feet Click Here (Spadefoots) |
No Spade on Hind Feet Click Here (Coastal Tailed Frog) |
Dark line through the eye Click Here (Coastal Tailed Frog) |
4. Frogs and Toads with straight or unenlarged toe tips and horizontal pupils |
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Does the frog or toad have rough, warty skin, with enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, or smooth skin and no parotoid glands? |
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| Rough Skin |
Enlarged Parotoid Glands |
(Do not confuse parotoid glands with the rounded tympanum or eardrum on a frog or toad which is located behind the eye, but is not raised up.) |
| If it has rough skin and paratoid glands, it is a Toad. Click Here | ||
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| Smooth Skin |
No Parotoid Glands | |
| If it has smooth skin and no paratoid glands it is a Frog. Go to part 5 directly below. | ||
5. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, and smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes |
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Does the frog have a distinct dorsolateral fold (a raised ridge on the upper sides of the body)? |
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| Distinct Dorsolateral Folds Click Here |
None, or indistinct Dorsolateral Folds Go to part 6 directly below |
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6. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, and indistinct dorsolateral folds |
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Does the frog have a ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye and and does it have some green coloring? |
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| Green or partly green frog with a ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye Click Here (Bullfrog) |
No ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye Go to part 7 directly below |
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7. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, indistinct dorsolateral folds, and no ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye |
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Does the frog have small upturned eyes with no eyelids, and sharp black claws on the inner toes (and is found mostly in water) or does it have yellow under the legs? |
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| Claws Small Upturned Eyes Click Here (African Clawed Frog) |
No claws or upturned eyes, yellow under the legs Go to part 8 directly below |
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8. Frogs with straight or unenlarged toe tips, horizontal pupils, no spade on rear feet, smooth skin with no enlarged parotoid glands behind the eyes, indistinct dorsolateral folds, no ridge above and behind the eardrum behind the eye, small upturned eyes with no eyelids. and yellow under the legs |
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Yellow-legged Frogs These frogs are difficult to tell apart, however they most likely do not occur near each other anymore. Both have disappeared from most of their former habitat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Southern California Mountains. Use the range maps to tell which species you have. |
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| Does the frog occur at high elevations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (or in mountains in Southern California)? |
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Yes, it is found in the central and northern Sierra Nevada (Red range on map) Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog - Click Here |
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| Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog Rana sierrae |
Underside | Historic Range: Red |
Yes, it is found in the southern Sierra Nevada and southern California mountains (Orange range on map) Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog - Click Here |
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| Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Rana muscosa |
Historic Range: Orange | |
No, it is not found at high elevations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains or in Southern California mounatins - Foothill Yellow-legged Frog - Click Here |
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| Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Rana boylii |
Underside | Historic Range: Red (This frog is no longer found in mountains in southern California and it has also disappeared from much of the lower-elevation mountains and foothills in the central and southern Sierra Nevada mountains.) |
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