Reptiles and Amphibians

Under appreciated and sometimes feared, reptiles play an important role in the ecosystem. Lizards and snakes help control insect and rodent populations. In turn, these reptiles become potential meals for birds and mammals.

The Crevice spiny lizard is the most commonly spotted reptile or amphibian by visitors along Cliff Dweller Trail. True to its name, this lizard is often described as spiny or with lots of spikes and seen near a crevice or crack in the rocks.

Black-tailed rattlesnakes are sometimes seen along the trail sunning themselves in the summer. Watch your step so you don't disturb these venomous snakes. Although it is possible that you may be seeing a Bullsnake imitating a rattlesnake it is better to safe than sorry!

While most of the animals found here are not considered dangerous, it is worth remembering that any animal may bite if it feels threatened. Please leave all wildlife alone and enjoy them from a safe distance.

Bullsnake

Scientific Name:Pituophis catenifer sayi
Also known as: Gopher snake, pine snake, Sonoran gopher snake, Great Basin gopher snake

Size: Length 36 to 110 inches (3 to 9 feet)

Habitat: Oak and pine-oak woodlands, pine and fir forests, deserts, desert grasslands, cultivated fields

About: These snakes are one of the most common in the US. They help control rodents, and occasionally eat birds and eggs. Bullsnakes use constriction to capture and kill their prey. Typical prey includes small mammals, birds, lizards, smaller snakes, insects, and eggs. Prey varies regionally but the primary prey in all areas are rodents and other small mammals. In some areas they prey mainly on gophers, which is why they are sometimes called "gopher snakes." Gopher snakes actively search for prey in their burrows and hiding places. They often follow small mammal runways and are quite successful in capturing voles, western harvest mice, kangaroo rats, ground squirrels, and young rabbits. They have also been known to eat bats in roosts.

They imitate rattlesnakes by coiling up, hissing, and striking, and even vibrate their tails. This helps them escape predators; however, they are not pit vipers (they do not inject venom when they bite). Superficially, these snakes resemble many species of rattlesnakes and are often mistaken for them and killed. Bull snakes are not venomous and do not have rattles on the end of their tail.

Black-tailed rattlesnake

Scientific Name: Crotalus lepidus klauberi
Also known as: Black-tail, Northern black-tailed rattlesnake, Green rattler

Size: Length 28 to 48 inches

Habitat: Mostly above 3,500 feet, in rocky canyons, ridgelines, pine-oak forests and mesquite grasslands. This snake is found at low regions up to 8,000 feet. It seems to be most abundant in the woodlands.

About: Most black-tailed rattlesnakes are not aggressive. They are especially common along ridgelines and in rock canyons, being active when the sun has warmed the cracks and crevices. Their colors of olive green, yellow and black are brighter than the diamondback, but the pattern is similar. As their name implies, the rattle is black as the body color gradually fades into a solid black tail. The females tend to be larger than the males and have larger & thicker tails.

Like most large rattlesnakes, the Black-tailed rattlesnake feeds mostly on mammals (mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits), but will also consume lizards, birds, and bird eggs. When hunting for prey, this species uses its heat-sensitive organs on the sides of its head to detect infrared heat and flicks its tongue to detect scents in its surroundings. Prey is caught by means of two hollow fangs tucked away in the front of the upper jaw. Upon striking, the fangs are extended. Once the fangs penetrate the skin of the prey item, glands at each side of the head release lethal venom into the prey.

The Black-tailed rattlesnake does not lay eggs, but instead is ovoviviparous or live bearing. Birth usually occurs from July through August with a brood size that varies from 3 to 6. Each time the skin is shed, a new rattle segment is added to the tail. The shedding is essential for growth and wear on the skin. Once the species reaches maturity, the skin is still periodically shed, but the rattle stops developing, and old segments begin breaking off. Rattlesnakes generally have an average lifespan of 17.5 years. The expected lifespan of black-tailed rattlesnakes is unknown.

Crevice spiny lizard

Scientific name: Sceloporus p. poinsetti
Also known as: New Mexico crevice spiny lizard

Size: Snout-to-vent length of up to 4.6 inches, with a total length of up to 12.2 inches

Habitat: Arid and semi-arid regions with lots of holes and crevices. If you are lucky you may see one on the Cliff Dweller trail.

About: They have a broad, black uninterrupted collar with white borders, a small pale bluish spot just above the shoulder within the black collar, a whitish crossband or series of spots on the rear of the head between the ear openings, and a tail with contrasting black (widest) and white bands. Dorsal body scales may have black edges aligned to form longitudinal black lines. New Mexico Crevice Spiny Lizards have a black, white-spotted top of head, pale body crossbands with black-edged scales. The lower sides of the body may be orangish. Can be differentiated from other spiny lizards in lacking the contrasting black and white banded tail.

Mostly insectivorous with ants, beetles, and grasshoppers common in the diet. Spiders and centipedes have also been reported as food items. Plant material is also consumed, especially among larger lizards.

The reproductive period (mating through ovulation) occurs in fall months with slowed winter embryonic development increasing through spring. Young are born alive in late May-June and females only produce one litter (up to 11 young) per year.

Gila spotted whiptail

Scientific Name: Aspidoscelis flagellicauda
Also known as: Subspecies of Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail

Size: 10 to 12.25 inches, the tail makes up 200% of the total length

Habitat: Occurs only in Gila River drainage areas, 4,000 - 6,000ft elevation, found in pine-juniper-oak forests and chaparrals, found near streams

About: They have six stripes running down their body, these stripes may appear lighter near the head and lose intensity at the shoulders. In the dark part stripes they will have light colored spots. Their throat and belly may or white or a pale blue color. They can be differentiated from other spotted whiptails due to the change of stripe color intensity at their shoulders.

This species is unisexual, every individual is female, and therefore no mating season takes place. Due to this, all young are clones of their mother (this is called parthenogenesis) and eggs are laid in late spring/early summer.

Western chorus frog

Scientific Name: Pseudacris t. triseriata
Other common names: Striped chorus frog, Midland chorus frog

Size: 0.75 to 1.5 inches

Habitat: A rare frog that mostly inhabits grassy areas, river swamps, flooded fields, and shallow pools. This species has low tolerance to pollution and pesticides

About: Due to this species' low tolerance to pollution, it is considered an indicator species. An indicator species is a species that is monitored by scientists to see the health of the ecosystem. In the case of the Western chorus frog, if it is present in an area that means that there is minimal pollution in the area. Indicator species can also indicate high levels of pollution.

This species has a deep brown to gray, or, rarely, olive, coloring. The belly is a lighter color than the rest of the frog. It has three to five dark stripes down its back which may be broken up by spots, breaks, or fade into a color similar to the frog itself. It usually has a v shaped dark spot between the eyes.

The best time to spot this frog is when it is in its breeding season. It can be found in the winter near shallow pools.

New Mexico spadefoot toad

Scientific Name: Spea multiplicata stagnalis

Size: 1.5 - 2 inches, rarely can be seen as large as 2.5 inches

Habitat: Found in arid and semiarid desert and plain areas (grasslands, irrigated fields, deserts, pastures, etc), from sea level to 9,000 feet.

About: Spadefoots differ to toads due to their feet, they have reduced webbing and a toe that protrudes past the other toes. Spadefoots are not true toads and are therefore in their own family.

This spadefoot can be identified by its lack of a wart between its eyes (interorbital boss), and it is a smaller spadefoot toad. The belly of the toad is a off white color and its back(dorsal) is a tan-ish brown color that blends well with the ground. It may have many warts and these warts would be tipped with an orange color.

Identification can be difficult due to hybridization. This is when different species of animals cross breed. For example, the New Mexico spadefoot may hybridize with the Plains spadefoot which may change its dorsal color making it harder to identify. When identifying amphibians and reptiles keep in mind its range and structure more than the colors it possess.

This spadefoot toad eats mostly invertebrate insects (ants, termites, spiders, etc). They breed in January to August depending on rainfall. Their eggs hatch 2 days after being laid, and their tadpoles transform after 4 - 6 weeks.

Common Reptiles & Amphibians