Plains spadefoot, Spea bombifrons, confirmed in Yellowstone National Park
Schneider D, Treanor JJ, Richards J, Wood J, Lee E, Waag A. 2015. Plains spadefoot, Spea bombifrons, confirmed in Yellowstone National Park. Northwestern Naturalist. 96(3):227-229
Yellowstone National Park and its fauna have long been the focus of researchers from around the globe, but the discovery of a previously undocumented vertebrate happens infrequently. However, in 2014, a breeding population of Plains Spadefoot (Spea bombifrons) was confirmed in YNP (Fig.1). Prior to this discovery, 1 of the 2 Spea species (S. bombifrons or S. intermontana) that naturally occur in the states surrounding YNP (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho) was reported in 1982 downstream of Fairy Falls on the west side of the park (Koch and Peterson 1995). The Plains Spadefoot has likely been present in YNP, but has gone undetected because of its fossorial lifestyle and limited distribution. Here, we describe our discovery of the Plains Spadefoot in YNP, the genetic analysis used to identify the species, and the characteristics of the breeding site.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Schneider, Dylan; Treanor, John; Richards, Jessica; Wood, John; Lee, Eli; Waag, Austin
- Units
- YELL
- Keywords
- amphibian, Anuran, COX1 gene, genetic analysis, species identification, Wyoming
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Amphibians and Reptiles