Sonoma Couny Herps

The California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) is a nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to the western United States and northern Mexico. It is a relatively small subspecies of the common kingsnake and is naturally found in a wide variety of habitats. One of the most popular snakes in captivity, the California kingsnake can vary widely in appearance due to numerous naturally occurring and captive-developed color morphs. less ↑

Pituophis catenifer is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to North America. Six subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies, Pituophis catenifer catenifer, described here. This snake is often mistaken for a diamondback rattlesnake but can be easily distinguished from a rattlesnake by the lack of black and white banding on its tail, and by the shape of its head which is narrower than a rattlesnake's. less ↑

Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii is a subspecies of the Western fence lizard. This taxon, S.o. bocourtii, is found in the state of California, from Sonoma County south to Santa Barbara County. This subspecies is in the family Phrynosomatidae, North American spiny lizards An alternative name for this subspecies is Coast Range fence lizard. The subspecific name, bocourtii, is in honor of French herpetologist Marie Firmin Bocourt. less ↑

The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), also known as red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world, as, among other factors, it is easy to maintain. It has, therefore, become the most commonly traded turtle in the world. It is native... less ↑

The western toad (Anaxyrus boreas) more commonly known as Bufo boreas (both names accurate) is a large toad species, between 5.6 and 13 cm long, of western North America. It has a white or cream dorsal stripe, and is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches. Its parotoid glands are oval, widely separated, and larger than the upper eyelids. It has a mottled venter and horizontal pupils but lacks cranial crests. less ↑

The tailed frogs are two species of frogs in the genus Ascaphus, the only taxon in the family Ascaphidae /æˈskæfɨdiː/. The "tail" in the name is actually an extension of the male cloaca. The tail is one of two distinctive anatomical features adapting the species to life in fast-flowing streams. It is the only North American frog that reproduces by internal fertilization. less ↑

The foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) is a small-sized 3.72–8.2 cm (1.46–3.2 in) frog from the Rana genus in the Ranidae family. This species can be found from northern Oregon, down California’s west coast, and into Baja California, Mexico. Both the Columbia spotted frog and the Cascades frog, also part of the Rana genus, live in the northern regions of this frog's territory. They prefer to live in streams and rivers, and lay their eggs in masses attached... less ↑

The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”. This species has traditionally been classified as Rana catesbeiana, however the classification has been changed to Lithobates due to paraphyly in Ranidae. This frog has an olive green back and sides blotched with brownish markings and a whitish belly spotted with yellow or grey. The upper... less ↑

The California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is a vulnerable amphibian native to Northern California. Previously considered to be a tiger salamander subspecies, the California tiger salamander was recently designated a separate species again. The California tiger salamander distinct population segment (DPS) in Sonoma County is listed as federally endangered and in the Santa Barbara County) DPS and Central California DPS, they are federally threatened. The Sonoma County and Santa Barbara County DPS's have been split from... less ↑

The northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile) inhabits the northwest Pacific Coast of North America. These fairly large salamanders grow to 8.7 in (220 mm) in length. It is found from southeastern Alaska on May Island, through Washington and Oregon south to the mouth of the Gulala River, Sonoma County, California. It occurs from sea level to the timberline, but not east of the Cascade Divide. Its range includes Vancouver Island in British Columbia and Cypress, Whidbey, Bainbridge,... less ↑

The California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus) is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family. It is endemic to California, in the western United States. The species name once additionally included individuals now belonging to the species D. aterrimus (Idaho giant salamander) and D. tenebrosus (coastal giant salamander), under the common name Pacific giant salamander, which now refers to the genus and family. less ↑

The California slender salamander (Batrachoseps attenuatus) is a lungless salamander that is found primarily in coastal mountain areas of Northern California, United States as well as in a limited part of the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California, in patches of the northern Central Valley of California, and in extreme southwestern Oregon. What makes this amphibian notable is that this species resides primarily in a limited range within California as one of a handful quasi-endemic... less ↑