Amphibians life list
This is my list of all the amphibians I have seen and identified in my life. My latest find is the Ridge-headed Salamander.
Updated November 18, 2025
There are over 8,800 amphibians — frogs, toads, salamanders and newts — around the world. But unlike mammals or birds, Identifying amphibians comes slowly and often requires patience. Amphibians are dear to me and I often write about them in my notes.
I often draw sketches of some of my finds and hope to continuing doing so into the future. I also keep a life list of reptiles.
Species list
DicamptodontidaePacific Giant Salamanders
Coastal Giant SalamanderDicamptodon tenebrosus
PlethodontidaeLungless Salamanders
Amazonian Climbing SalamanderBolitoglossa palmata
Ridge-headed SalamanderBolitoglossa colonnea
EnsatinaEnsatina eschscholtzii
Dunn's SalamanderPlethodon dunni
Western Red-backed SalamanderPlethodon vehiculum
Red SalamanderPseudotriton ruber
AmbystomatidaeMole Salamanders
Northwestern SalamanderAmbystoma gracile
SalamandridaeNewts
California NewtTaricha torosa
Rough-Skinned NewtTaricha granulosa
People who have lived in Oregon much longer than I have told me of the eerie disappearance of these amphibians over the past 50 years. The refrain is that they have vivid recollections of Rough-skinned Newts everywhere in the spring season. This newt is also one of the most toxic in North America, its toxin being similar to that of the Pufferfish.
RanidaeTrue Frogs
American BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus
Lowland Leopard FrogLithobates yavapaiensis
Mississippi Gopher FrogLithobates sevosus
Northern Leopard FrogLithobates pipiens
Northern Red-legged FrogRana aurora
Brilliant Forest Frog
Lithobates warszewitschii, photographed in Cartago Province, Costa Rica on a night walk during intense rains.
HylidaeTreefrogs
Spiny-headed Tree FrogTriprion spinosus
I saw this species in Cartago Province, Costa Rica. An adult was sitting on top of a water-filled bamboo trunk. About five tadpoles, on their way to becoming juvenile frogs, had filled the entire swimmable area of the bamboo pool. Since these pools are tiny, the female is known to lay unfertilized eggs for these young frogs to persist on.
Canyon TreefrogDryophytes arenicolor
Gray Tree FrogDryophytes versicolor
Pacific TreefrogPseudacris regilla
Yellow TreefrogDendropsophus microcephalus
Panama Cross-banded Tree FrogSmilisca sila
Neotropical Masked TreefrogSmilisca phaeota
Plain-colored TreefrogDendropsophus leali
Map Tree FrogBoana geographica
Troschel's Tree Frog (Convict Tree Frog)Boana calcarata
Cuban Tree FrogOsteopilus septentrionalis
DendrobatidaePoison Frogs
Strawberry Poison FrogOophaga pumilio
Three-striped Poison FrogAmeerega trivittata
Ecuador Poison FrogAmeerega bilinguis
Pale-striped Poison FrogAmeerega hahneli
AromobatidaeRocket Frogs
Rainforest Rocket FrogSilverstoneia flotator
Colostethus ruthveniColostethus ruthveni
LeptodactylidaeSouthern Frogs
Smoky Jungle FrogLeptodactylus pentadactylus
BufonidaeTrue Toads
Leaf-Litter ToadRhaebo haematiticus
Cane ToadRhinella marina
Native to Central and South America, this large, warty toad is common throughout Panama and has become invasive in many parts of the world. It secretes potent bufotoxins from its parotoid glands and often thrives in disturbed or suburban environments.
StrabomantidaeRain Frogs
Santa Marta Tree FrogSerranobatrachus sanctaemartae