Toads and Frogs in Utah
If you are looking to identify specific toads and frogs in Utah 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 in Utah
True Frog Family – Ranidae
Common Name: Colombia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana luteiventris
Location: Northern part 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.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Statewide
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.
Common Name: Lowland Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana yavapaiensis
Location: Possibly southwestern Utah
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 hasn’t been seen in the state since the 50s so it is probably extinct but who knows. The dorsal folds on the frog end well before the groin. It also has shorter legs than the Northern Leopard Frog.
Tree Frog Family – Hylidae
Common Name: Canyon Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla arenicolor
Location: Southern half of the state
Breeding Season:
The Canyon Tree Frog lacks a stripe that runs through its eye.
Common Name: Pacific Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris regilla
Location: Western edge of the state
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.
Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)
Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris maculata
Location: Northern area of Utah
Breeding Season:
The Boreal Chorus Frog is a small sized Chorus Frog, ranging from brown, red, tan, to olive in color. They are very similar to the Spring Peeper but there is no x on its back but three lines that run down its back. It is one of the first frogs to start breeding in the spring, once the ice melts from the ponds, but breeds the longest out of all species.
Toads
True Toad Family – Bufonidae
Common Name: Arizona Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus microscaphus
Location: Southwest Corner
Breeding Season:
The toad has weak or no cranial crests.
Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location: Southern half
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: 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: Western Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus boreas
Location: Western part of the state
Breeding Season:
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: Statewide
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.
Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae
The Spadefoot Toads are a fossorial group of “toads”, meaning they spend most of their time underground. They are not considered true toads but are still called toads.
Common Name: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea intermontana
Location: Everywhere besides the northeastern and southeastern corners of the state
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).
Common Name: Mexican Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea multiplicata
Location: Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:
The Mexican Spadefoot Toad has no boss between its eyes.
Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea bombifrons
Location: Southern edges of the state
Breeding Season:
The Plains Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is gray, brown, or tan in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The toad has a bony boss (bump between the eyes).
Introduced Frogs in Utah
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Northcentral border
Breeding Season:
The American Bullfrog is the largest native frog in the United States. 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.
Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Weber County
Breeding Season:
The Green Frog looks very much like the American Bullfrog but it’s a tad smaller. It has a dorsal ridge that runs down its back but they are incomplete and do not reach all the way.