Herpetology Amphibians

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, large with flat head

Order and Family of Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

Caudata Cryptobranchidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Siren intermedia, lack hindlimbs

Order and Family of Siren intermedia

Caudata Sirenidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Amphiuma tridactylum, eel-like body and three toes

Order and Family of Amphiuma tridactylum

Caudata Amphiumidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Typhlonectes sp., Only primary annuli

Order and Family of Typhlonectes sp.

Gymnophiona Typhlonectidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Dermophis sp., primary and secondary annuli

Order and Family of Dermophis sp.

Gymnophiona Dermophiidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Necturus beyeri, external gills and laterally flattened tail and 4 toes

Order and Family of Necturus beyeri

Caudata Proteidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Necturus maculosus, spotted and pointed tail and 4 toes

Order and Family of Necturus maculosus

Caudata Proteidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Ambystoma maculatum, spots only on top

Order and Family of Ambystoma maculatum

Caudata Ambystomatidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Ambystoma opacum, ladderlike pattern

Order and Family of Ambystoma opacum

Caudata Ambystomatidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Ambystoma texanum, muted color and small mouth

Order and Family of Ambystoma texanum

Caudata Ambystomatidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Ambystoma talpoideum, head larger than neck and large mouth

Order and Family of Ambystoma talpoideum

Caudata Ambystomatidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Ambystoma tigrinum, large and distinct patterns

Order and Family of Ambystoma tigrinum

Caudata Ambystomatidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Dicamptodon copei, external gills and front-facing eyes

Order and Family of Dicamptodon copei

Caudata Dicamptodontidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Rhyacotriton sp., short round snout and squared off vent glands

Order and Family of Rhyacotriton sp.

Caudata Rhyacotritonidae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Notophthalmus viridescens, spotted underbelly and dorsal keel

Order and Family of Notophthalmus viridescens

Caudata Salamandridae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Notophthalmus meridionalis, small dots and dorsal keel

Order and Family of Notophthalmus meridionalis

Caudata Salamandridae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Taricha sp., light underbelly and stout limbs

Order and Family of Taricha sp.

Caudata Salamandridae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Bolitoglossa sp., small and webbed duck feet

Order and Family of Bolitoglossa sp.

Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactyliinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Eurycea rathbuni, spindly limbs and external gills and no eyes

Order and Family of Eurycea rathbuni

Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactyliinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Eurycea paludicola, slender with long tail and lighter dorsal stripe

Order and Family of Eurycea paludicola

Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactyliinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Eurycea nana, tiny and external gills

Order and Family of Eurycea nana

Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactyliinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Pseudotriton ruber, red and spotted

Order and Family of Pseudotriton ruber

Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactyliinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Desmognathus auriculatus, lighter sides and moderately large eyes

Order and Family of Desmognathus auriculatus

Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodontinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Plethodon albagula, dark skin and long tail

Order and Family of Plethodon albagula

Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodontinae

Scientific name and diagnostic features

Plethodon cinereus, tiny and lighter lateral line

Order and Family of Plethodon cinereus

Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodontinae

Shared character of Caecilians

Annuli sometimes aligned with vertebrae and sometimes associated with dermal scales

Characteristics of family Typhlonectidae

Only primary annuli and no dermal scales. Posterior dorsal ridge and laterally compressed body

Distinguishing features of Caudata (Salamanders)

4 limbs without claws, tail in all life stages, no ears, gills, and true teeth and ribs

Distinguishing features of Cryptobranchidae

dorso-ventrally compressed heads and bodies, wrinkly skin, 1-2 gill slits

Distinguishing features of Ambystomatidae

stout bodies, blunt heads, costal grooves, with 4 front toes and 5 back toes, 22cm SVL

Distinguishing features of Dicamptodontidae

Robust bodies, broad heads, laterally flattened tails, and large size

Distinguishing features of Rhyacotritonidae

Squared-off glands posterior to vent in adult males, 6cm SVL

Distinguishing features of Salamandridae

No nasolabial or costal grooves, rough skin when terrestrial but smooth when aquatic, laterally compressed tail when aquatic, and 45cm SVL

Scientific name and distinguishing feature

Ascaphus truei, tail

Order and Family of Ascaphus truei

Anura Ascaphidae

Scientific name and distinguishing feature

Bombina sp., red belly

Order and Family of Bombina sp.

Anura Bombinatoridae

Scientific name and distinguishing feature

Pipa pipa, incubate eggs on back

Order and Family of Pipa pipa

Anura Pipidae

Scientific name and distinguishing feature

Rhinophrynus dorsalis, round for burrow digging

Order and Family of Rhinophrynus dorsalis

Anura Rhinophrynidae

Scientific name and distinguishing feature

Scaphiopus couchii, sickle claw

Order and Family of Scaphiopus couchii

Anura Scaphiopodidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Spea bombifrons, boss and rounded claw

Order and Family of Spea bombifrons

Anura Scaphiopodidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Spea multiplicata, small and cone-shaped spade

Order and Family of Spea multiplicata

Anura Scaphiopodidae

Scientific name and distinguishing feature

Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides, bumpy skin

Order and Family of Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides

Anura Eleutherodactylidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Eleutherodactylus marnockii, smooth skin

Order and Family of Eleutherodactylus marnockii

Anura Eleutherodactylidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Craugastor augusti, long fingers and skin folds

Order and Family of Craugastor augusti

Anura Craugastoridae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Anaxyrus cognatus, prominent paratoid glands

Order and Family of Anaxyrus cognatus

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Anaxyrus debilis, bumpy

Order and Family of Anaxyrus debilis

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Anaxyrus punctatus, evenly spaced warts

Order and Family of Anaxyrus punctatus

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Anaxyrus speciosus, kidney-shaped paratoid

Order and Family of Anaxyrus speciosus

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Anaxyrus woodhousii, spots on warts

Order and Family of Anaxyrus woodhousii

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Incilius nebulifer, cloudy pattern

Order and Family of Incilius nebulifer

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Rhinella marina, giant

Order and Family of Rhinella marina

Anura Bufonidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Dendrobates leucomelas, aposematic coloration and T-shaped fingers

Order and Family of Dendrobates leucomelas

Anura Dendrobatidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Rhinoderma rufum, proboscis

Order and Family of Rhinoderma rufum

Anura Rhinodermatidae

Scientific name and distinguishing features

Ceratophrys cornuta, large head

Order and Family of Ceratophrys cornuta

Anura Ceratophryidae

Characteristics of the order Anura

reduced skulls, tailless, 5-9 presacral vertebrae, postsacral vertebrae fused to coccyx, tongue attached to front of mouth, and external reproduction

Characteristics of Ascaphidae

Males have extended cloaca “tail”, 3 palmar tubercles, lack tympana and vocal sacs