Coastal Tailed Frog
Ascaphus truei
Dorsum is brown, olive, gray, or reddish and exhibits yellow or gray marbling. Rough skin is used to conduct respiration; lungs are small. Snout has a yellowish or greeni…
How to identify
Dorsum is brown, olive, gray, or reddish and exhibits yellow or gray marbling. Rough skin is used to conduct respiration; lungs are small. Snout has a yellowish or greenish triangle-shaped marking and a black stripe runs across the eye. Females are larger in size than males. Males have distinguishable copulatory organ protruding like a tail. Females lay eggs in July and they will hatch any time between August and September. Each clutch can range from 44-75 eggs. Tadpoles are either brown or black and use their large mouths to hold onto rocks.
Range
Western coast of North America starting in southern British Columbia, Canada southward through western Washington, western Oregon, and ending in northwestern California.
Habitat
Primarily inhabits cool, fast flowing streams in woodland areas. The rocks on stream bottoms serve as protection for all stages of development; females lay their eggs under these rocks in extensive strands. Cannot be found in other types of water bodies. In especially wet weather can be found in woodlands near streams.
Variations
Larval period ranges depending on geographic location of population. In northern mountain areas, it can last from 2 to 4 years, but it can last as short as 1 year for some coastal Oregon populations and coastal California stream populations.
Similar species
Foothill Yellow-legged Frog - Rana boylii Northern Red-legged Frog - Rana aurora Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog - Ascaphus montanus
Name and etymology
Truei: Honoring biologist Frederick William True
At a glance
Size
2.2 to 5.1 cm
Range
Western coast of North America starting in southern British Columbia, Canada southward through western Washington, western Or…
Habitat
Primarily inhabits cool, fast flowing streams in woodland areas. The rocks on stream bottoms serve as protection for all stag…
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap