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HOME > Biota > Reptiles & Amphibians

Reptiles & Amphibians

NOTES:

Species listed. Species names are according to the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles' SSAR North American Standard English Names Database. Below the main list is a list of species reported in the ‘Observed and Expected Fauna’ in the 1999 EIR but not confirmed by observation.

Photos. Links labeled ‘BFS’ Bernard Field Station photos. Photos on the BFS pages may be used for any personal or academic purposes as long as notification of use is sent to the BFS Director and the image is clearly credited with ©[Name of photographer]. For higher-resolution images, please contact the BFS Director. Note that no photos taken at the BFS may be used for commercial purposes without the express permission of the BFS Director.

‘CP’ links will return all photographs of the listed taxon in the CalPhotos Digital Library Project database. Note that you must check the stipulations with each photograph for permissible uses of the CalPhotos images.

Additional sources of information:

• San Diego Natural History Museum Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians includes descriptions, ranges and habitats, natural history, and consevation information as well as photographs.
• CaliforniaHerps.com, an amateur site devoted to California's reptiles and amphibians, has many photos, including habitat photos, as well as range maps and references.

Common name	Species name	Photos*	Conservation Status*	Notes
Lizards:
San Diegan Legless Lizard	Anniella stebbinsi	BFS, CP	SSC	Previously reported as Anniella pulchra, but A. pulchra has been divided into 5 species on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence. The species at the BFS is A. stebbinsi.
San Diegan Tiger Whiptail	Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri	BFS, CP		Originally reported as Cnemidophorus tigris multiscutatus; however, in 2001 the coastal Southern California species was assigned to C. t. stejnegeri, and in 2003 the species was assigned to genus Aspidoscelis. The Field Station Manual reported the whiptail on the BFS as C. t. mundus (now A. t. munda), but this identification is almost certainly in error — see range map.
Southern Alligator Lizard	Elgaria multicarinata	BFS, CP		Formerly known as Gerrhonotus multicarinatus
Blainville’s Horned Lizard	Phrynosoma blainvillii	BFS, CP	SSC	Phrynosoma blainvillii was until fairly recently considered a subspecies of Phrynosoma coronatum; however, in 2004 it was elevated to a separate species. Likely extirpated at the BFS; last confirmed sighting was in 2000.
Skilton’s Skink	Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus	BFS, CP		Formerly Eumeces skiltonianus skiltonianus; now assigned to genus Plestiodon.
Western Fence Lizard	Sceloporus occidentalis	BFS, CP		Reported in the 1999 EIR as Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus, but the subspecies designation seems unlikely given its range.
Western Side-blotched Lizard	Uta stansburiana elegans	BFS, CP		Reported in the 1999 EIR as Uta stansburiana hesperis, but this subspecies is no longer recognized.
Snakes:
California Striped Racer	Coluber lateralis lateralis	BFS, CP		Originally reported as Masticophis lateralis lateralis, but now considered to be in genus Coluber.
San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake	Diadophis punctatus modestus	BFS, CP
San Diego Night Snake	Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi	CP		Originally reported as Hypsiglena torquata klauberi; assigned to H. ochrorhyncha supspecies klauberi in 2006.
California Kingsnake	Lampropeltis californiae	CP
San Diego Gophersnake	Pituophis catenifer annectans	BFS, CP		Originally reported as Pituophis melanoleucus, but this species is now restricted to the related Pinesnakes found in the Eastern U.S.
Western Black-headed Snake	Tantilla planiceps	CP
Turtles:
Southwestern Pond Turtle	Actinemys pallida	BFS, CP	SSC	Previously reported as Actinemys marmorata. Recent morphological and molecular analysis, however, has led to Western pond turtles being separated into two species – one northern (A. marmorata) and one southern (A. pallida). The local species is A. pallida, but since the turtles at the BFS came from more than one source, some may, in fact, be A. marmorata.
Red-eared Slider	Trachemys scripta elegans	BFS, CP		Not native to California – introduced, especially in populated areas, primarily as a result of the release of pets by negligent owners.
Frogs & Toads:
Western Toad	Anaxyrus boreas	BFS, CP		Previously reported as Bufo boreas halophilus. The genus Bufo was recently determined to be paraphyletic; North American toads are now placed in Anaxyrus. The subspecies pallida is no longer recognized.
American Bullfrog	Lithobates catesbeianus	BFS, CP		Exotic. Native to the Eastern U.S., L. catesbeianus has now been introduced into many places in the Western U.S., including California. Formerly Rana catesbeiana.
Baja California Treefrog	Pseudacris hypochondriaca	BFS		Listed in the 1999 EIR as Hyla regilla; now placed in genus Pseudacris, and the Pseudacris in our area has been determined to be a distinct species from P. regilla.
Salamanders:
Garden Slender Salamander	Batrachoseps major major	BFS, CP		Listed in the 1999 EIR as Batrachoseps pacificus major; however, recent revision elevates this taxon to a species, B. major, with two subspecies.
Unconfirmed species reports: The following species were listed in ‘Observed and Expected Fauna’ in the 1999 EIR, but have not been confirmed at the BFS.
Western Yellow-bellied Racer	Coluber constrictor mormon
Red Racer	Coluber flagellum piceus			Originally reported as Masticophis flagellum piceus, but now assigned to genus Coluber.
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake	Crotalus oreganus helleri			Rattlesnakes have been extirpated from the BFS. Listed in the EIR as Crotalus viridis helleri; now assigned to C. oreganus.
California Mountain Kingsnake	Lampropeltis zonata			Originally reported as Lampropeltis zonata pulchra, but subspecies of L. zonata are no longer recognized.
Southwestern Threadsnake	Rena humilis humilis			Formerly Leptotyphlops humilis humilis. Leptotyphlops is now restricted to old world species.
Coast Patch-nosed Snake	Salvadora hexalepis virgultea
California Lyresnake	Trimorphodon lyrophanes			Formerly Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanes; now a separate species.
Arboreal Salamander	Aneides lugubris
Black-bellied Slender Salamander	Batrachoseps nigriventris
Monterey Ensatina	Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii
*Key: Conservation Status: SSC = Species of Special Concern according to California Department of Fish & Wildlife Special Animals List [pdf] - July 2020 Links to Photos and Descriptions: BFS = Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station. Some of the reptiles and amphibians were photographed at the BFS. Additional photographs taken elsewhere have been generously provided to the BFS by Claremont Colleges faculty, students, and staff, and additional photographers. CP = CalPhotos, Digital Library Project, UC Berkeley. Clicking the CalPhotos link for a listing will return a display of all photos for that taxon. If you want to use any of these photos, be sure to check the guidelines for Using the Photos in CalPhotos References: EIR = Envicom Corporation. 1999. Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Claremont Colleges North Campus Master Plan. March 1999.