A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
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California Desert Frogs and Toads
(Under Construction)
Distribution of California Deserts Covered Here
Frogs and toads in the California deserts can be active most of the year, except during very hot and very cold weather. However, even during hot and dry weather, some species can be seen floating in water. |
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| California Toad Anaxyrus boreas halophilus |
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 Call  Video |
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 Range shown in Red and Gray |
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| Adults are 2 to 5 inches long. A large squat toad with dry warty skin. Color is greenish, tan, reddish brown, gray, or yellowish with irregular dark blotches and a light-colored stripe down the middle of the back. Warts on the back are often on dark blotches. |
Diurnal in cool weather, Nocturnal in hotter weather. Common where found but less common in urbanized areas. Found in a varitey of areas including marshes, springs, creeks, ponds, small lakes in woodland, forest, and grassland. The only species of toad found in our area. |
Eats a wide variety of invertebrates. Females lay eggs in water some time between January and July, depending on the location, rainfall, and snowmelt. Eggs hatch into tadpoles in about a week or two. Tadpoles live in the water then transform into tiny toads and move onto land in about 1 to 1.5 months. Active mostly late Winter through Fall except during extreme cold and extreme heat when it stays in moist shelters. |
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| Great Plains Toad Anaxyrus cognatus |
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| Black Toad Anaxyrus exsul |
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| Arizona Toad Anaxyrus microscaphus |
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| Red-spotted Toad Anaxyrus punctatus |
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| Rocky Mountain Toad Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii |
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| Sonoran Desert Toad Incilius alvarius |
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| Lowland Leopard Frog Lithobates yavapaiensis |
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| Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens (There are native and introduced populations of this species.) |
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| Baja California Treefrog Pseudacris hypochondriaca hypochondriaca |
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 Red: Range of Baja California TreefrogOrange: Range of Sierran Treefrog |
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| Adult frogs are 3/4 to 2 inches long. A small frog with smooth skin, a large head and eyes, round pads on the toe tips, and a wide dark stripe through the middle of each eye. Various colors and patterns. Most frogs are green or brown in color overlaid with irregular dark markings, but some frogs are, gray, reddish, or cream in color. |
Diurnal and Nocturnal. The most commonly seen frog in our area. Found almost anywhere there is water for breeding, including forest, woodland, chaparral, grassland, pastures, streams, and urban areas. |
Eats a wide variety of invertebrates, including flying insects. Females lay eggs in water some time between November and July. Eggs hatch into tadpoles in 2 to 3 weeks. The tadpoles live in water then transform into tiny frogs and move onto land 2 to 2.5 months later. Active most of the year except during extreme cold and extreme heat when it stays in moist shelters. |
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| Sierran Treefrog Pseudacris sierrae |
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| Red: Range of Baja California Treefrog Orange: Range of Sierran Treefrog |
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| California Treefrog Pseudacris cadaverina |
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 Red: Range of California Treefrog |
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| Adults are 1 to 2 inches long. A small treefrog with rough skin and large pads on the toes. Gray or brown with dark blotches. No dark stripe through the eye. |
Diurnal and Nocturnal. Common where it occurs in rocky creeks.Often heard calling at night between February and October. Found in rocky streams in canyons, and washes with permanent quiet pools from sea level to 7,500 ft. |
Eats insects, spiders, centipedes and other invertebrates. Females lay eggs in water between February and October. Tadpoles live in water for 40 to 75 days then transform into tiny frogs and move onto land. |
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| Couch's Spadefoot Scaphiopus couchii |
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| Great Basin Spadefoot Spea intermontana |
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Non-native Frogs Established in California |
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| Rio Grande Leopard Frog LIthobates berlandieri |
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| American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus Not Native to California |
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 Red: Range of American Bullfrog |
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| Adults are 3.5 to 8 inches long. The largest frog found in our area. A large frog with smooth skin and no lines on the sides of the back, and conspicuous eardrums. Light green to dark olive green in color with irregular dark spots and blotches. Juveniles have many small dark spots. |
Diurnal and Nocturnal. Common, but not native to our area. Found in permanent water - lakes, ponds, sloughs, reservoirs, marshes, slow rivers, irrigation canals, cattle tanks, and slow creeks, in almost any habitat which is open and sunny, including grassland, farmland, prairies, woodland, forests, and chaparral. |
Eats anything it can swallow, including invertebrates, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Females lay eggs in water typically between May and August. Eggs hatch into tadpoles 3 to 5 days. Tadpoles live in water and grow very large, not turning into small frogs and moving onto land until anytime between a few months and a year to two years. Mostly active late Winter through Fall. |
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