Please Note: Due to the Desert Gala, there will be no Theater Animal Experience Fri 4/25 - Mon 4/28. The Ironwood Restaurant will close at noon on Sun 4/27. The Ironwood Gift Shop, Baldwin Gallery, and the Desert Garden will be closed all day Sun 4/27.

Reptile & Amphibian Accounts

Craig Ivanyi, Janice Perry, Thomas R. Van Devender (desert tortoise) and Howard Lawler (desert tortoise)

Herpetologists (people who study amphibians and reptiles) from other parts of the United States have long been intrigued by the unique and rich assemblage of reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna) of the Sonoran Desert. This diversity is not surprising considering the complex landscapes of mountains and valleys with rocky to sandy soils, the variable climate with two distinct rainy seasons, and the diverse vegetation. But the diversity of reptiles and amphibians reflects evolutionary origins intertwined not only with the history of the Sonoran Desert itself, but also with other major biotic provinces such as the grasslands of the mid- continent to the east and the “New World” tropics to the south.

In the following section, accounts are given for the species commonly encountered in the Arizona Upland subdivision of the Sonoran Desert. Other species of special interest that are seen less often or occur in other habitats in the region will also be covered.

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Reptile & Amphibian Accounts
Couch's Spadefoot Sonoran Desert Toad Sonoran Green Toad Red Spotted Toad Canyon Treefrog Northern Casque-headed Frog Leopard Frog Western Box Turtle Sonoran Mud Turtle Desert Tortoise Western Banded Gecko Whiptails Gila Monster Desert Iguana Chuckwalla Common Collared Lizard Spiny Lizards Tree Lizard Horned Lizards "Sand" Lizards Western Blind Snake Rosy Boa Garter Snake Common Kingsnake Longnose Snake Coachwhip Sonoran Whipsnake Western Shovelnose Snake Western Hognose Snake Western Patchnose Snake Gopher Snake Night Snake Lyre Snake Arizona Coral Snake Rattlesnakes
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