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Southwest Reptiles and Amphibians

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Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot  - Spea multiplicata stagnalis

(Cope, 1875)

(New Mexican Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata)
Listen to this spadefoot:

sound
A short example

sound
More sounds of
Spea multiplicata




observation link


Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Adult, Coconino County, Arizona Adult, Cochise County, Arizona
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Adult, Coconino County, Arizona Adult, Cochise County, Arizona
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Adult, Cochise County, Arizona Adult, Cochise County, Arizona Adult, Cochise County, Arizona
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Adult male in breeding pond,
Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Calling adult male in breeding pond, Hidalgo County, New Mexico Group of adult males at night calling while floating in a rain pool, Santa Cruz County, Arizona
     
Tadpoles and recently-metamorphosed terrestrial juveniles
The following spadefoot tadpoles and metamorphs were photographed at several locations in Cochise County, Arizona, where Spea multiplicata and Spea bombifrons both occur. These spadefoots could be either species. I cannot positively identify them at such a young age and small size, other than saying that most likely they are not Scaphiopus couchii, so I will just say that these pictures probably include individuals of both species of Spea.

Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
     
Habitat
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat
Breeding habitat, pool in flooded wash,
Hidalgo County, New Mexico
The same breeding pool location as seen to the left in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, 2 months later. Habitat, Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat
Breeding pool, Cochise County, Arizona, shown on two consecutive days - evaporation happens quickly in the desert when there is no rain. Shallow breeding pool in August (full of tadpoles) Cochise County, Arizona. (Same location as shown to the left, 5 years earlier.)
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot habitat  
Breeding habitat,
Cochise County, Arizona
Breeding habitat,
Hidalgo County, New Mexico
 
     
Short Videos
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot
A spadefoot calls at night while floating on top of a flooded pool in a wash in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. When another male comes close he makes a different snoring sound and swims around. Other spadefoots and Western Green Toads are heard in the background. A tiny recently-metamorphosed spadefoot (either Spea bombifrons or Spea multiplicata) which has not yet absorbed its tail hops around next to its dessicating breeding pool with a predator attached to its tail (probably a water scavenger beetle larva.) Cochise County, Arizona. Spadefoot tadpoles swim around in a small aquarium. Cochise County, Arizona.

These are tentatively identified as Spea bombifrons, but there is a chance they could also be Spea multiplicata (stagnalis.)
  Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot  
  Spadefoot tadpoles (either Spea bombifrons or Spea multiplicata) in a rain pool in Cochise County, Arizona metamorphose into tiny tailed spadefoots and move onto land as the pool quickly drys up. (Shown over a period of about one week.)



 
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