Frogs and Toads of Nevada

If you are looking to identify certain frogs and toads that you found and can’t figure it out from the page, you can check my Frog Identification and see how to contact me about helping you out.

Frogs

True Frog Family – Ranidae

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Statewide besides the southern tip
Breeding Season:

The Northern Leopard Frog is a medium to large species of semi aquatic species of frog. They vary in color from dark brown to slim green with fairly large spots all over their body.The dorsal ridge is nearly complete.

Common Name: Lowland Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana yavapaiensis
Location: Southern tip
Breeding Season:

The Lowland Leopard Frog is stockier and paler than the Northern Leopard Frog.

Common Name: Relict Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana onca
Location: Probably extinct
Breeding Season:

The Relict Leopard Frog is a candidate for endangered species protection. The dorsal folds on the frog end well before the groin. It also has shorter legs than the Northern Leopard Frog.

Common Name: Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sierrae
Location: Probably extinct in Nevada but was found in western border with California
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Columbia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana luteiventris
Location: Northern half of the state
Breeding Season:

The Columbia Spotted Frog is a medium sized frog varying in color from gray, brown, olive, to green with small spots that aren’t filled all over their bodies. The undersides of their legs and belly are red to pink.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Common Name: Pacific Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Rana regilla
Location: Everywhere besides the southern tip
Breeding Season:

The Pacific Tree Frog is a small frog, ranging in color from green, red, brown or gray. A dark stripe extends from their snout through their eye and down their side.

Pacific Tree Frog has the stripe through its eye but no stripes down its back.

Common Name: Canyon Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla arenicolor
Location: Southern tip
Breeding Season:

The Canyon Tree Frog lacks a stripe that runs through its eye.

Toads

True Toad Family – Bufonidae

Common Name: Arizona Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus microscaphus
Location: Southeast corner
Breeding Season:

The Arizona Toad has weak or no cranial crests.

Common Name: Red Spotted Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus punctatus
Location: Southern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Red Spotted Toad has a small flattened head and body with weak or no cranial crest.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location: Southeastern tip
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad is a medium sized toad with pairs of dark blotches down their back. The toads are brown, gray, or green in color. A white stripe down their back can be seen on some individuals. The toad has a V shaped cranial crest on their head with a boss (bump) in between the eyes.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Common Name: Western Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus boreas
Location: Everywhere besides southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

The Western Toad has no The Western Toad is a medium sized toad with warty skin that’s green, gray, or brown in color. They have a thin white line that runs between their eyes down their back. The toad also lacks a cranial crest.

Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location: Southern tip
Breeding Season:

The Woodhouse’s Toad is a medium sized toad with brown or gray coloring. They have a white or yellow stripe running down the center of their back. Their cranial crests do not touch, creating opposing L shapes.

Common Name: Amargosa Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus nelsoni
Location: Oasis Valley
Breeding Season:

The Amargosa Toad has no cranial crest and has a stripe down its back like the Western Toad. The difference between the two is that the Amargosa Toad has a more slender head, less blunt snout, and shorter limbs.

Dixie Valley Toad (Anaxyrus williamsi)

Common Name: Dixie Valley Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus williamsi
Location: Dixie Valley
Breeding Season:

The Dixie Valley Toad was only discovered in 2017, however they are on the Federal Endangered Species List.

Spadefoot Toad – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Great Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea intermontana
Location: Everywhere besides the southern tip
Breeding Season:

The Great Basin Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is tan, gray, brown, or olive green in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The Great Basin Spadefoot has a glandular boss (bump between the eyes). Its spade has a round shape.

Introduced

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. They are found near permanent bodies of water such as large ponds, streams, and lakes. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. There is no dorsal ridge that runs down its back on the American Bullfrog. This is the distinguishable characteristics of the frog. It has a negative effect on native animals including other frogs.