Tailed Frogs

Question 1

How are tailed frogs unique when compared with other BC frogs?

Answer 1

• Males have short conical tails
• Vertical eye pupils
• No external ear membranes.
• Do not vocalize.
• Front toes end in distinct claw
• Live and reproduce in fast-flowing streams
• Internal fertilization
• Longest larval stage of any frog
• Juveniles with sucker-like mouth

Question 2

What are the key characteristics of streams that tailed frog inhabit?

Answer 2

• Permanent, cold, clear, fast-flowing, and well-oxygenated stream
• Streams typically are from 1.5 to 15 m wide
• Very narrow temperature range: 5 to 18°C.
• Second and old growth (food abundance)
• Closed canopy riparian (shade)
• Cobbles and boulder substrate (interstitial spaces, stable)

Question 3

What species of tailed frogs inhabit BC and where are they in BC, what are their status?

Answer 3

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog

• Blue listed
• only in an extreme pocket in the southeast corner of B.C.

Coastal Tailed Frog

• Yellow-listed
• Along the B.C. coast from the Lower Mainland to the Nass River

Question 4

Describe as completely as you can the process of conducting an inventory for tailed frogs? Be as complete as possible

Answer 4

• Avoid stepping in stream before starting
• Wash hands before handling animals
• Split up team tasks (searching, processing, data)
• Inspect stream banks for adults
• Establish 5m sections along bank
• Break sections into 1m intervals
• Starting downstream, work upstream searching 1m intervals of stream
• Remove any cover (rocks) and place on shore
• Intercept tadpoles with nets when lifting rocks
• Transfer to bucket when captured
• Process, and transfer to holding bucket in shade
• Return debris to stream
• Remove flagging
• Return animals gently to stream

Question 5

What are the physical features used to ID tailed frogs (juveniles and adults)?

Answer 5

Adult:

• Males have short conical tails
• Vertical eye pupils
• No external ear membranes.
• Front toes end in distinct claw
• Copper bar or triangle between eyes
• dark line from snout to back of head

Juveniles:

• Black, dark brown, slate grey.
• Sucker-like mouth with teeth
• White spot on end of tail
• Tail is laterally compressed