Amphibians and Reptiles of Montana

By Kirwin J. Werner, Bryce A. Maxell and Paul Hendricks

This comprehensive field guide provides color photographs, descriptions, and eight identification keys (including egg and larval stages) that allow both the layperson and the professional to identify Montana's frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles, lizards, and snakes. You'll find out where and when to look for these often reclusive critters; what the

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Company
• Release date: Mar 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9780878426287

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J. Kirwin Werner, Bryce A. Maxell,

Paul Hendricks, and Dennis L. Flath

2004

Mountain Press Publishing Company

Missoula, Montana

2004 © J. Kirwin Werner, Bryce A. Maxell, Paul Hendricks, and Dennis L. Flath

Illustrations © Claire Emery

Front cover:

Milksnake (Franz Zikesch/Matt Bell)

Back cover, top:

Tiger Salamander (Kristi Dubois)

Back cover, bottom:

Painted Turtle (Kirwin Werner)

Back cover insets, top to bottom:

Greater Short-horned Lizard young (Ted Hoberg)

Western Skink (bill Leonard)

Northern Leopard Frog (Kirwin Werner)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Amphibians and reptiles of Montana / J. Kirwin Werner … [et al.].—1st ed.

        p. cm.

    Includes bibliographical references and index.

    ISBN 0-87842-500-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)

  1. Amphibians—Montana—Identification. 2. Reptiles—Montana—Identification. I. Werner, J. Kirwin, 1941–

  QL653.M9A47  2004

PRINTED IN HONG KONG

2004

Mountain Press Publishing Company

Missoula, Montana

(Jane Reichel)

This book is dedicated to Jim Reichel, a fellow naturalist who died in the summer of 1997 while doing fieldwork in eastern Montana. A zoologist with the Montana Natural Heritage Program, Jim was instrumental in setting up the statewide database on amphibian and reptile observations. He was a driving force behind creation of a field guide for the state and greatly inspired all of the authors in this endeavor. We thank his family and hope his spirits soar a little higher with the publication of this book.

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A Brief History of Herpetology in Montana

Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles

The Montana Landscape: Habitats for Herpetofauna

Observing Amphibians and Reptiles in the Field

Conservation and Management

Species Accounts

Introduction

Amphibians

Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum)

Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)

Coeur d’Alene Salamander (Plethodon idahoensis)

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (Ascaphus montanus)

Plains Spadefoot (Spea bombifrons)

Western Toad (Bufo boreas)

Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus)

Woodhouse’s Toad (Bufo woodhousii)

Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)

Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla)

Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris)

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Reptiles

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)

Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera)

Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea)

Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi)

Common Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus)

Rubber Boa (Charina bottae)

Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor)

Western Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus)

Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis)

Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum)

Gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer)

Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans)

Plains Gartersnake (Thamnophis radix)

Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)

Species of Questionable Occurrence in Montana

Idaho Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon aterrimus)

Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Canadian Toad (Bufo hemiophrys)

Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)

Pigmy Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii)

Identification Guide

How to Use the Guide

Adult Key

Salamanders

Frogs and Toads

Turtles

Lizards

Snakes

Larva Key

Salamanders

Frogs and Toads: Tadpoles

Egg Key

Appendix A. Presence or Absence of Native Amphibians and Reptiles in Montana’s Five Ecological Provinces

Appendix B. Summary of Amphibian Reproductive Features

Appendix C. Summary of Reptile Reproductive Features

Appendix D. Contact Information for Federal, State, and Tribal Wildlife Agencies

Appendix E. Amphibian and Reptile Observation Form

Appendix F. Information about Rattlesnake Bite

Glossary

Selected Bibliography

Index

Checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Montana

PREFACE

Amphibians and reptiles are different classes of vertebrates, but traditionally they have been studied together in the field of herpetology. Collectively, amphibians and reptiles are known as herpetofauna. Both herpetofauna and herpetology derive from the Greek word herpes, meaning to creep or crawl. Carl von Linné, the eighteenth-century Swedish botanist who developed the biological classification system we use, made no distinction between amphibians and reptiles, and in fact, the two groups do have features in common. Both are ectotherms, or cold-blooded, and both have skin devoid of hair or feathers. However, genetic and evolutionary studies show that reptiles are more closely related to birds than to amphibians.

Though the number of amphibians (12 native, 1 exotic) and reptiles (17 native, 1 possibly native) in Montana is small compared to fish (86), birds (394), and mammals (108), herpetofauna are important components of many Montana ecosystems. For example, amphibians and turtles are often the dominant vertebrates in temporary ponds and, as such, serve as significant links in the transfer of nutrients and energy via the food chain.

Worldwide, amphibians and reptiles contribute in many ways to human society. Amphibians play an important part in controlling insect pests, including mosquitoes. As test material in laboratories, amphibian eggs and larvae help us assess the effects of chemical contaminants that also affect humans. Snake venom and some reptilian body parts are used in pharmaceutical research and in medicine, especially in the Far East. Skin secretions of some species of herpetofauna show promise as new sources of antibiotics and nonaddictive painkillers. Because of their porous skin and larval gill respiration, salamanders and frogs are susceptible to many pollutants; declines in their populations may serve as alarm bells for humans, warning of global problems that we also must face.

Herpetofauna are useful culinarily and economically. It is estimated that the U.S., Europe, and Australia annually import approximately 200 million pairs of frog legs for human consumption. Between 1979 and 1987, approximately 99,000 pounds of alligator meat was sold from harvests in Louisiana. Humans also eat turtle eggs and adults, crocodiles, and lizards. We make shoes, clothing, and accessories from the skins of alligators and snakes, while turtle shells and rattlesnake rattles have both commercial and ceremonial value. Turtles, lizards, snakes, alligators, and crocodiles are popular in zoo exhibits and contribute to the pet trade, a billion-dollar industry worldwide. For this trade, between 1990 and 1992, 49,240 snakes and 41,493 frogs were removed from the wild in Florida; between 1992 and 1994, approximately 74,000 Gulf Coast Box Turtles were exported from the United States. Observing egg-laying by sea turtles has become a recent focus of ecotourism.

Additionally, amphibians and reptiles feature in aesthetic and cultural aspects of human society. Frogs delight children everywhere, in reality and also as characters such as Sesame Street’s Kermit the Frog. Snakes, lizards, and turtles are frequent subjects of photographs, art, and stories; some even play a role in human spiritual life. In sum, amphibians and reptiles are a unique and priceless part of our natural heritage.

In writing this book, we reviewed collection records and observations beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806 and ending with current museum collections from over forty-five institutions. We reviewed over five hundred publications. Though we consulted many sources outside of Montana, we tried to include only data that contributes to an accurate picture of each species within the state. Future studies will undoubtedly alter some of this information.

The reference section of this book lists only a subset of the materials we reviewed. In addition to sources pertaining specifically to Montana’s amphibians and reptiles, we include neighboring state field guides, general herpetological references, and references on such topics as photography. For more detailed references on species biology, the history of herpetology in Montana, or location of collecting records within the state, see a companion publication in the reference section by Maxell, Werner, Hendricks, and Flath (2003).

Our purpose in writing this book was to provide a field guide for identification of Montana’s herpetofauna with basic information on the biology and ecology of each species. We also hope our book will give the people of Montana a greater understanding of the role of amphibians and reptiles in biological communities, their cultural and economic value, and the importance of conserving their natural populations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Financial support for this book was provided by Region One of the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Nature Conservancy, and the Montana Natural Heritage Program.

The authors are indebted to Steve Corn, Grant Hokit, Beth Madden, David Rockwell, and Tony Russell for their valuable comments and suggestions on early versions of this book; their input helped immensely in its formatting, content, and accuracy. We also thank Walter Timmerman of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for information on snakebites in Montana and snakebite treatment.

Institutions and their respective staffs throughout the United States and Canada provided information on specimens in their collections and hand-checked many questionable records. We are indebted to the following institutions and individuals for their assistance:

Academy of Natural Sciences, Ted Daeschler and Ned Gilmore;

American Museum of Natural History, Charles J. Cole;

Brigham Young University Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Jack W. Sites Jr.;

California Academy of Sciences, Jens Vindum;

Canadian Museum of Nature, Darlene McCuaig-Balkwill and Michele Stiegerwald;

Carnegie Museum of Nature, John J. Wiens and Stephen P. Rogers;

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Wildlife Division, Dale Becker, Art Soukkala, and Janene Lichtenberg;

Field Museum of Natural History, Alan Resetar and James B. Ladonski;

George Mason University, Carl Ernst;

Glacier National Park Museum, Leo Marnell and Deidre Shaw

Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology, José P. Rosada;

Idaho State University Museum of Natural History, Chuck Peterson;

Illinois Natural History Survey, Christopher A. Phillips;

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, David Kizirian and Kent Beaman;

Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, Adam Leache and Jim McGuire;

Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, Jack Dubois;

Michigan State University Museum, Jim harding and lara Abraczinskas;

Milwaukee Public Museum, Gary Casper;

Montana State University (Billings), Carl Castle, Tasneem Kahleel, and Dennis Michael;

Montana State University (Bozeman), Jay Rotella and Lynn Irby;

National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution, Steve Gotte and Robert Reynolds;

North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Alvin Braswell;

Royal Ontario Museum, Ross D. MacCulloch;

United States Geological Survey Biological Survey Collection, Museum of Southwestern Biology, Cindy Ramotnik;

University of Alberta Museum of Zoology, Cindy Paskowski and Wayne Roberts;

University of British Columbia Cowan Museum, Jamie Smith;

University of California Berkeley, Berkeley Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, David Wake, Carla Cicero, and John Wieczorek;

University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Alan de Queiroz and Rosanne Humphrey;

University of Florida, Florida State Museum, Max A. Nickerson and Kenneth L. Krysko;

University of Georgia Museum of Natural History, Elizabeth McGhee;

University of Idaho Museum of Natural History, Richard Wallace;

University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Linda Trueb and John E. Simmons;

University of Louisiana (Monroe) Museum of Natural History, Frank Pezold;

University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Arnold G. Kluge, Ronald A. Nussbaum, and Greg Schneider;

University of Montana Phil Wright Memorial Museum, David Dyer;

University of Nebraska State Museum, Royce E. Ballinger and Thomas E. Labedz;

University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology, Howard L. Snell and Tom Giermakowski;

University of North Dakota, John La Duke and Richard Sweitzer;

University of Oklahoma Stovall Museum of Zoology, Laurie J. Vitt and Janalee Caldwell;

University of Oregon Museum of Natural History, Mel Aikens;

University of Puget Sound Slater Museum of Natural History, Dennis Paulson and Gary Shugart;

University of Texas at Arlington Merriam Museum, Rhonda Ackley;

University of Washington Burke Museum, Brad Moon;

University of Wyoming, Stanley Anderson, Frank Rahel, and Ronald Beiswenger;

Utah Museum of Natural History, University of Utah, Eric Rickart;

Washington State University Charles R. Conner Museum, Kevin Pullen;

Yale University Peabody Museum, Jacques Gautheir, Elisabeth Vrba, and Paul Whitehead.

Since the establishment in 1992 of the Montana Natural Heritage Program’s Point Observation Database, observation records from numerous people have been reported and entered into the database. Individuals instrumental in the development and maintenance of the database include Margaret Beer, David Genter, Cedron Jones, Paul Hendricks, Martin Miller, and Jim Reichel.

Biologists around Montana and in adjacent states provided additional observations, photographs, and reports for this project. They include Mike Aderhold, Steve Amish, Kirk Anderson, Eric Atkinson, David Ausband, Chris Bare, Steve Beckstrom, Erik Belgarde, Matthew Bell, Roman Biek, Mickey Bland, Hans Bodenhamer, Bob Bramblett, Alan Bratkovich, Dan Bricco, Dave Browning, Greg Brownworth, Tom Butts, John Carlson, Robert Carroll, Shannon Clairmont, Chris Clancy, Anne Deuker, David Dorman, Kristi DuBois, JoAnn Dullum, Kirk Eakin, Jessica Easley, Mike Enk, Pat Farmer, Chris Funk, Barbara Garcia, Beth Gardner, Tony Gendusa, Steve Gerdes, Guy Gies, Steve Gilbert, Bill Good, Steven Gnam, Ron Gratz, Paul Griffin, Tedd Gutzke, Reni Hagan, Nate Hall, Lisa Hallock, Geoff Hammerson, Bill Hannah, Guenter Heinz, Louis Helfrich, Renee Hoadley, Ted Hoberg, Jenny Holifield, Allyson Hoof, Blake Hossack, Judy Hoy, Amy Jacobs, Lynn Johnson, Rick Kerr, Don Kiehn, Ryan Killackey, Rebecca Kohl, Ron Komac, Linda Lassabe, Bill Leonard, Althea Liberty, Janene Lichtenberg, Roger Lindahl, Lauren Livo, Brian Logan, Catherine Lynch, James Lynch, Gary Maag, Dan Mahony, Whisper Maillet, Jeff Marks, Peter Martin, Mike McCrea, Lorraine McInnes, Bob and Suzy McKinnon, Sue McNeal, Ken Mills, Ted Nordhagen, Tim Novotny, Tricia O’Connor, Yvette Ortega, Kathi O’Siggins, Rachelle Owen, Deb Patla, Dean Pearson, Chuck Peterson, Erich Pfalzer, John Pickens, David Pilliod, Derek Poinsette, Stacy Polkowske, Truman Plummer, Fritz Prellwitz, Caleb Putnam, Ryan Rauscher, Chris Riley, Don Sasse, Thomas Schemm, Bob and Hope Stevens, Alan St. John, Keif Storrar, Daniel Sutherland, David Tallmon, Allan Thompson, Mark Thompson, Steve Thompson, Wayne Tree, Bruce Waage, Joe Weaselhead, Mary Claire Weatherwax, Steve Wilcox, Al Wilson, Aimee Wyrick, Chris Yde, Heidi Youmans, Lewis Young, Ryan Zajac, and Franz Zikesch.

A special thanks is extended to Beth Judy, Jeannie Nuckolls, Kim Ericsson, Jennifer Carey, and Beth Parker at Mountain Press Publishing Company.

Introduction

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HERPETOLOGY IN MONTANA

The history of herpetology in Montana begins with the state’s first human inhabitants. Amphibians and reptiles have been part of Native American culture historically and still are today. The Western Rattlesnake has been especially important in ceremonial and spiritual activities. Prince Maximilian of Wied, who traveled among the Plains Indians in the 1830s, noted that Indians killed Western Rattlesnakes for their rattles, which they believed had curative powers. Also, wearing rattles attached to feathers was a sign of having successfully stolen horses from another tribe. Domestically, turtle shells served as bowls, and small bones were used for sewing. In at least one case, tadpoles were used to adorn clothing. At Native American gatherings today, turtles, lizards, and snakes continue to feature in the art that decorates tepees, and the snake dance is still performed at powwows. Amphibians and reptiles seem to have played a minor role in the culinary tastes of native peoples, except perhaps during times of starvation. Undoubtedly, Native Americans were aware of all of Montana’s herpetofauna and probably understood aspects of these creatures’ life history as well as, if not better than, today’s scientific community.

The earliest European descriptions of Montana’s herpetofauna resulted from travel along the corridor provided by the Missouri River. From 1804 to 1806, the Corps of Discovery under Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked on its historic journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back. While traversing what is now the state of Montana, Lewis and Clark described five reptiles: the Painted Turtle, the Spiny Softshell Turtle, the Greater Short-horned Lizard, the Terrestrial Gartersnake, and the Western Rattlesnake. The Western Rattlesnake in particular was of constant concern to crews as they pulled the boats along the banks. Clark wrote in his journal on June 15, 1805, added to those dificuelties the rattle Snakes innumerable and require great caution to prevent being bitten. Due to a number of unfortunate occurrences, including the loss of specimens and labels and the death of Lewis after the expedition’s end, the complete botanical and zoological descriptions of the expedition went unpublished for nearly one hundred years. During this time, other naturalists formally described and named many of Montana’s amphibians and reptiles.

Rows of tadpoles on Blackfeet deerskin shirt, probably 1890s

(John Reddy; courtesy Montana Historical Society)

Blood Indian man with Gophersnake, Browning, Montana, probably before 1910 (Thomas Magee; courtesy Montana Historical

Blackfeet girl with her own teepee using a snake design

(Edward S. Curtis)

In 1833, Prince Maximilian of Wied, accompanied by the artist Karl Bodmer, traveled up the Missouri River as far as the mouth of the Marias River. Maximilian made the first written observations of amphibians in Montana, including descriptions of Woodhouse’s Toad, the Boreal Chorus Frog, and the Northern Leopard Frog. Although Native Americans must have sketched Montana’s herpetofauna long before Bodmer, Bodmer’s drawing of the head of a Western Rattlesnake is the first known illustration of a Montana reptile in a formal publication.

Western Rattlesnake head by Karl Bodmer

Eastern Racer; uncredited illustration from early government railroad surveys in the West

Spencer Fullerton Baird, a name synonymous with the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution, is one of the most significant figures in Montana herpetology even though he never visited the state. During the second half of the nineteenth century, Baird assigned naturalists to railroad, army, topographic, and fisheries surveys in the American West. From the 1850s until his death in 1887, Baird’s naturalists sent thousands of plant and animal specimens east to the National Museum. There, Baird and his assistants Charles Girard and Robert Kennicott described dozens of new genera and species, including fourteen of the twenty-nine species and subspecies of amphibians and reptiles native to Montana. Detailed illustrations accompanied many of these descriptions.

In 1845 and 1855, Baird and others supported Ferdinand Vandiveer Hayden in a private effort to collect fossils and living plants and animals on the upper Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. Hayden returned with up to six tons of specimens, including some of the first dinosaur fossils described in North America. Hayden published the first written records of the