Amphibians
Scuffling for position amongst a giant mass of floating orbs, a group of male Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) patiently await the arrival of egg filled females . With large congregations of females laying their eggs in the same area, giant mats of eggs can often be seen floating along the surface. These blobs of eggs will eventually develop into tadpoles and release from their gelatinous casings to explore their new wetland home. Unfortunately, frog nurseries like this one are becoming a rarer site to see along the Cascades, where habitat alteration and changes to river flows have resulted in the loss of wetland habitat.
Deschutes River, Oregon
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Once extremely common in many wetlands throughout the Northern and Western parts of the US, the Northern Leopard frog (Rana pipiens) has been lost from vast portions of its native range. Especially in the West, where scenes such as this are becoming a rarer sight, leopard frog populations have been reduced to only a small percentage of their historic range. Faced with a multitude of threats, including disease, invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change. The loss of this once common frog is seen by many biologists as a sign of potential larger problems within our freshwater ecosystems
Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming
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Rough skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) gather in a Coast Range pond to mate in early spring.
Coast Range pond, Oregon
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In the shadows of of Oregon's Mount Bachelor hundreds of western toads (Anaxyrus boreas) are on the move in search of potential mates. The alpinists of the amphibian world, these tough mountain toads emerge to breed right as the snowpack and ice begin melting from the landscape.
Cascades, Oregon
www.FreshwatersIllustrated.org
Drab Treefrog (Smilisca sordida)
Rio Carbon, Costa Rica
Territorial dispute between two green and black poison dart frogs (Dendrobates auratus)
Talamanca, Costa Rica
Green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) in amplexus
Macquarie Marshes, Australia
Water-holding frog (Cyclorana platycephala) eating a spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)
Macquarie Marshes, Australia
In the shadows of of Oregon's Mount Bachelor hundreds of western toads (Anaxyrus boreas) are on the move in search of potential mates. The alpinists of the amphibian world, these tough mountain toads emerge to breed right as the snowpack and ice begin melting from the landscape.
Canyon tree frog (Hyla arenicolor)
Grand Canyon, Arizona
www.FreshwatersIllustrated.org
http://www.gcmrc.gov
Drab Treefrog (Smilisca sordida)
Rio Carbon, Costa Rica
Dr. Pieter Johnson from the University of Colorado and Laura Guderyahn from the City of Gresham's Natural Resource Program observe malformed red-legged frogs in an urban pond near Portland Oregon.
Gresham, Oregon
www.FreshwatersIllustrated.org
Strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio)
Rio Carbon, Costa Rica
Monkey tree frog (Phylomedusa trinitatis)
Northern Range, Trinidad
Green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea)
Macquarie Marshes, Australia
Western chorus frog (pseudacris triseriata) calling
Cameron Pass, Colorado
A Northern leopard frog with limb deformities caused by a parasitic flatworm. Current work by Dr. Pieter Johnson from the University of Colorado Boulder is trying to understand the factors that drive these malformations.
www.FreshwatersIllustrated.org
Gladiator tree frogs (Hypsiboas boans)
Northern Range, Trinidad
Calling male smooth toadlet (Uperoleia laevigata)
Macquarie Marshes, Australia
Rough skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) gather in a Coast Range pond to mate in early spring.
Coast Range pond, Oregon
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A rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) blends in with the fall foliage.
Rogue River, Oregon
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Great plains toad (Anaxyrus cognatus)
Pawnee National Grasslands, Colorado
A Paedomorphic Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) perches on a streambed stone in a Cascade stream in the Willamette National Forest.
Moose creek, Oregon
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Terrestrial pacific giant salamanders (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) in an old growth forest.
Cummins Creek, Oregon
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Crucifix toads (Notaden bennetti) in amplexus
Macquarie Marshes, Australia
Woodhouse's toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii)
Pawnee National Grasslands, Colorado
Rough skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) gather in a Coast Range pond to mate in early spring.
Coast Range pond, Oregon
www.FreshwatersIllustrated.org