California Amphibians and How to Find Them

A welcoming, laugh-out-loud, conservation-minded guide to California's salamanders and frogs.
Frisky frogs and secretive salamanders: For these marvelous creatures, California is one massive wild water park. With California Amphibians and How to Find Them, expert herpetologist Emily Taylor presents an accessible guide to the part-water, part-land denizens of the Golden State. From Wandering Salamanders who glide between the tops of towering redwood trees, to Red-spotted Toads who drink water through their lower bellies, to Pacific Chorus Frogs who throw rowdy all-night parties, this book puts the curious lives of amphibians on full display.
Profiling over 50 native and introduced species, Taylor gives practical guidance for finding, watching, and responsibly catching amphibians. She shares hilarious descriptions of frog and salamander behavior, and she draws attention to amphibians' keen vulnerability in the face of environmental destruction, offering advice for how people can help protect them. Featuring over 125 full-color photographs and a pocket-size design for everyday use, this guide is for anyone who wants to know more about amphibians’ wondrous and watery world.

List of contents

Preface

Introduction

• California: Amphibians’ Wild Water Park


• What are Amphibians?


• Some California Amphibians Are in Trouble


• What Can We Do To Help California Amphibians?


• To Have and To Hold Amphibians

THE SALAMANDERS

Family Ambystomatidae

• California Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma californiense


• Northwestern Salamander, Ambystoma gracile


• Long-toed Salamander, Ambystoma macrodactylum


• Western Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma mavortium

Family Dicamptodontidae

• Giant Salamanders, Dicamptodon ensatus and D. tenebrosus

Family Plethodontidae

• Clouded and Wandering Salamanders, Aneides ferreus and A. vagrans


• Black Salamanders, Aneides flavipunctatus, A. iecanus, A. klamathensis, and A. niger


• Arboreal Salamander, Aneides lugubris


• Slender Salamanders, Batrachoseps spp.


• Ensatina, Ensatina eschscholtzii


• Web-toed Salamanders, Hydromantes brunus and H. platycephalus


• Shasta Salamanders, Hydromantes samweli, H. shastae, and H. wintu


• Woodland Salamanders, Plethodon asupak, P. dunni, P. elongatus, and P. stormi

Family Rhyacotritonidae

• Southern Torrent Salamander, Rhyacotriton variegatus

Family Salamandridae

• Rough-skinned Newt, Taricha granulosa


• Red-bellied Newt, Taricha rivularis


• Sierra and California Newts, Taricha sierrae and T. torosa

THE FROGS

Family Ascaphidae

• Coastal Tailed Frog, Ascaphus truei

Family Bufonidae

• Western Toad, Anaxyrus boreas


• Arroyo Toad, Anaxyrus californicus


• Yosemite Toad, Anaxyrus canorus


• Great Plains Toad, Anaxyrus cognatus


• Black Toad, Anaxyrus exsul


• Red-spotted Toad, Anaxyrus punctatus


• Woodhouse’s Toad, Anaxyrus woodhousii

Family Eleutherodactylidae

• Common Coquí, Eleutherodactylus coqui

Family Hylidae

• California Chorus Frog, Pseudacris cadaverina


• Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris regilla

Family Pipidae

• African Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevis

Family Ranidae

• Red-legged Frogs, Rana aurora and R. draytonii


• Rio Grande Leopard Frog, Rana berlandieri


• Foothill Yellow-legged Frog, Rana boylii


• Cascades Frog, Rana cascadae


• American Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana


• Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs, Rana muscosa and R. sierrae


• Northern and Southern Leopard Frogs, Rana pipiens and R. sphenocephala

Family Scaphiopodidae

• Couch’s Spadefoot, Scaphiopus couchii


• Western Spadefoot, Spea hammondii


• Great Basin Spadefoot, Spea intermontana

Acknowledgments

Recommended Further Reading

About the Author

About the author

Emily Taylor is a professor of biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of reptiles and amphibians with her students. Taylor is founder of the community science initiative Project RattleCam (rattlecam.org) and owner of Central Coast Snake Services (centralcoastsnakeservices.com). Her first two books are California Snakes and How to Find Them and California Lizards and How to Find Them. She lives in Atascadero with her husband Steve in their madhouse of rescued creatures, including Pax the dog; Aperol Spritz the bearded dragon; Baby the Boa constrictor; Buzz and Snakeholio the rattlesnakes; and Helmut, Flash, and Bill the tortoises. Learn more at EmilyTaylorScience.com and follow her on social media @snakeymama.

Product details

• Authors: Emily Taylor
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 03.02.2026
• EAN: 9781597146999
• ISBN: 978-1-59714-699-9
• No. of pages: 224
• Illustrations: full-color photographs, Illustrationen, nicht spezifiziert
• Series: California Herping Guides
• Subjects: Guides > Nature; Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection, NATURE / Reference, NATURE / Animals / Wildlife, NATURE / Ecosystems & Habitats / Wilderness, NATURE / Animals / Reptiles & Amphibians, Animal behaviour, Reference works, amphibians, Conservation of the environment, Reptiles, Ethology & animal behaviour, Wildlife: Reptiles & Amphibians, Reptiles & amphibians as pets, Wildlife: reptiles & amphibians: general interest, Zoology: amphibians & reptiles (herpetology)