List of reptiles and amphibians of Alaska
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alaska is the northwestern most part of North America. Reptiles and amphibians are not common in Alaska due to them being cold-blooded. Alaska has four reptile species and eight amphibian species. Two of these species are introduced. There are no snakes or lizards in Alaska.[1]
Reptiles
Order: Testudines - turtles and tortoises
Family: Cheloniidae - typical sea turtles
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Loggerhead sea turtle | Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) |
VU[2] | Two sightings between 1960 and 2007[3] | Gulf of Alaska |
 |
Green sea turtle | Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758) |
EN[4] | 15 sightings between 1960 and 2007[5] | Gulf of Alaska |
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Olive ridley sea turtle | Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) |
VU[6] | Three sightings between 1960 and 2007[7] | Gulf of Alaska |
Family: Dermochelyidae - leatherback sea turtles
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Leatherback sea turtle | Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761) |
VU[8] | 19 sightings between 1960 and 2007[9] | Gulf of Alaska, Bristol Bay, southernmost of Bering Sea |
Amphibians
Order: Anura - frogs and toads
Family: Bufonidae - true toads
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Western toad | Anaxyrus boreas (Baird & Girard, 1852) |
LC[10] | Southeast Alaska north to Prince William Sound |
Family: Hylidae - tree frogs
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Pacific chorus frog | Pseudacris regilla (Baird & Girard, 1852) |
LC[11] | Introduced to Alaska | Southern Revillagigedo Island[1] and north of the city of Sitka on the Sitka Sound and north of Juneau[12] |
Family: Ranidae - true frogs
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Wood frog | Lithobates sylvaticus (Le Conte, 1825) |
LC[13] | Sometimes placed in genus Rana[14] | Statewide, except extreme north, Alaska Peninsula, and Aleutian Islands |
 |
Northern red-legged frog | Rana aurora (Baird & Girard, 1852) |
LC[15] | Introduced to Alaska. Sometimes placed in genus Amerana[16] | Introduced to northeastern Chichagof Island[1] |
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Columbia spotted frog | Rana luteiventris Thompson, 1913 |
LC[17] | Sometimes placed in genus Amerana[16] | Southeast Alaska |
Order: Caudata - newts and salamanders
Family: Ambystomatidae - mole salamanders
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Northwestern salamander | Ambystoma gracile (Baird, 1859) |
LC[18] | Southern Southeast Alaska | |
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Long-toed salamander | Ambystoma macrodactylum Baird, 1850 |
LC[19] | subspecies Ambystoma macrodactylum columbianum[20] | Southern Southeast Alaska |
Family: Salamandridae - newts
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rough-skinned newt | Taricha granulosa (Skilton, 1849) |
LC[21] | Southeast Alaska |
Unconfirmed species
Two species are alleged to occur naturally in Alaska, but are not officially confirmed.[1]
- Batrachoseps caudatus, the Alaska worm salamander, was described based on a specimen described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1889. It was described based on an individual allegedly captured on Annette Island; this is likely mislabeled and the specimen is from California, and represents the California slender salamander.
- The common garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, has allegedly been seen around the Taku River and Stikine River, but the snakes have never been officially recorded in the state.
Additionally, the tailed frog, Ascaphus truei, occurs in British Columbia until the Portland Inlet,[22] and may occur in southernmost Alaska.[1]