Coastal tailed frogs are adapted to mountain streams with flattened bodies, hardened toes on the front feet, and long back legs. They have vertical pupils and lack external ear drums. The coloration of coastal tailed frogs varies from olive, green, or reddish with gray or yellow mottling. There is a pale yellow or greenish triangle between the snout and eyes. Their pupils are vertical, and they have dark, horizontal eye stripe. Adults grow up to an average of one to two inches in length, snout to vent, with adult females averaging 50% larger than males. Males have a small tail, for which the species is named. The tadpoles are slate gray to brownish gray and covered in black flecks, with a white dot on the tip of the tail, and a copper colored bar between the snout and eyes. Their bodies are flattened, and they have mouths oriented on the underside of their body that allow them to adhere to rocks in fast flowing water.
Overview
- Species Common Name Coastal Tailed Frog
- Species Scientific Name Ascaphus truei
- Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
- State Listing Status Sensitive
Ecoregions
Coast Range
Oregon's Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions
East Cascades
The East Cascade ecoregion extends from the Cascade Mountains' summit east to the warmer, drier high desert and down the length of the state. This ecoregion varies dramatically from its cool, moist border with the West Cascades ecoregion to its dry eastern border, where it meets sagebrush desert landscapes.
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Klamath Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, the interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range, and the Rogue and Umpqua river valleys. Several popular and scenic rivers run through the ecoregion, including the Umpqua, Rogue, Illinois, and Applegate rivers. Historically, this ecoregion is known …
West Cascades
The West Cascades ecoregion extends from east of the Cascade Mountains summit to the foothills of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys, and spans the entire length of the state of Oregon. It is largely dominated by conifer forests, moving into alpine parklands and dwarf shrubs at higher elevations.
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.