Columbia Spotted frog (Rana luteiventris)

Kingdom: Animalia

Class: Amphibia

Order: Anura

Family: Ranidae

Listing Status:    and  

Quick links:Candidate InfoFederal RegisterConservation PlansPetitionsLife HistoryOther Resources

General Information

Columbia spotted frogs (Rana Luteiventris) are found from Alaska and most of British Columbia to Washington east of the Cascades, Idaho, and portions of Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah. The Great Basin population range includes eastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho, and the northern drainages of Nevada. In Idaho, it occurs in the mid-elevations of the Owyhee uplands and in southern Twin Falls county. Spotted frogs live in spring seeps, meadows, marshes, ponds and streams, and other areas where there is abundant vegetation. They often migrate along riparian corridors between habitats used for spring breeding, summer foraging and winter hibernation. The Great Basin population of Columbia spotted frogs have a light-colored stripe along the jaw and are light to dark brown or olive on their backs with varying numbers of irregular black spots. The skin texture varies from smooth to rough, and there are folds of skin on their rough backs. The coloration of their underside ranges from white to yellow, and mottling is present to varying degrees. The hind feet are large and have webbing that extends nearly the length of the hind toes. At metamorphosis (changing from tadpole to frog), they range in size from 23 to 33 mm (approximately 0.88 to 1.25 inches). In their third year, they are generally large enough that gender may be determined. As adults, they can vary in size from 50 to 90 mm (2 to 3.5 inches) depending on gender and to some extent, age. The species is currently a “candidate species” for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The largest known threat to spotted frogs is habitat alteration and loss, specifically loss of wetlands used for feeding, breeding, hibernating, and migrating. Reduction or loss of habitat can be attributed at least in part to recent drought conditions, spring developments, wetland degradation, water diversions, road construction, dam construction, fire, and loss of native beavers. Other threats include predation by non-native species and diseases. Monitoring activities to assess population trend and distribution are ongoing in the southwestern Idaho portion of species’ range.

Population detail

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the Columbia Spotted frog 

• Population location: Great Basin DPS
  Listing status:  Candidate
  
  • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Idaho , Nevada , Oregon
• Population location: main pop.
  Listing status:  Species of Concern
  
  • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Alaska , California , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , Oregon , Utah , Washington , Wyoming
  • Countries in which the this population is known to occur:  Canada

» Candidate Information

Current Candidate Status

» Federal Register Documents

» Recovery

• Information Search FAQs

» Critical Habitat

No critical habitat rules have been published for the Columbia Spotted frog.

» Conservation Plans

» Petitions

» Life History

No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

» Other Resources

NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.