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Home/Species/ Great Basin Spadefoot

Spea intermontana

(Cope, 1883)

Great Basin Spadefoot

G5Secure Found in 54 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104930
Element CodeAAABF02030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyScaphiopodidae
GenusSpea
Synonyms
Scaphiopus intermontanusCope, 1883
Other Common Names
Crapaud du Grand Bassin (FR) Crapaud pied-bêche du Grand Bassin (FR) Great Basin spadefoot (EN) Pied-bêche du Grand Bassin (FR)
Concept Reference
Wiens, J. J., and T. A. Titus. 1991. A phylogenetic analysis of Spea (Anura: Pelobatidae). Herpetologica 47:21-28.
Taxonomic Comments
There is inconsistency in older literature regarding Spea hammondi, S. intermontana, and S. multiplicata. Genetic analysis of nuclear sequence data and RADseq SNPs from the northern and southern populations of western spadefoot, divided by the Transverse Range, indicate two genetically distinct, allopatric clusters that likely make up two species (Neal et al. 2018, Neal 2019).

Garcia-Paris et al. (2003) split the Pelobatidae into two families: Eurasian spadefoot toads (Pelobates), which retain the name Pelobatidae, and North American spadefoot toads (Scaphiopus, Spea), which make up the revived family Scaphiopodidae.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-08-02
Change Date2001-12-03
Edition Date2002-04-10
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
Southern British Columbia (Cannings 1999) southward through central and eastern Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho, eastern California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and northwestern Colorado to northwestern Arizona (Hall 1998). From edge of Cascade-Sierra axis east to the Rockies. To elevations of about 9,200 ft (Stebbins 1985).
Occurrences Comments
Hundreds of occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
Most of habitat is not subject to incompatible uses or major threats, but intensive-extensive agriculture likely has extirpated/reduced some populations.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Mainly sagebrush flats, semi-desert shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodland. Digs its own burrow in loose soil or uses those of small mammals. Breeds in temporary or permanent water, including rain pools, pools in intermittent streams, and flooded areas along streams. Eggs are attached to vegetation in water or placed on bottom of pool.

Ecology

Predators include birds and probably fishes.

Reproduction

Breeds sporadically May-July, often after spring or summer rains. Eggs laid in small packets of 20-40 eggs. Female may lay a total of about 300-500 eggs. Under optimal conditions eggs probably hatch in about 2-3 days (Nussbaum et al. 1983). Larval period lasts a few to several weeks.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralDesert
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ArizonaS3Yes
NevadaS4Yes
WashingtonS5Yes
WyomingS3Yes
IdahoS3Yes
ColoradoS3Yes
OregonS5Yes
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS3Yes
Roadless Areas (54)
California (15)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
Coyote SoutheastInyo National Forest53,159
Deep WellsInyo National Forest7,681
Dexter CanyonInyo National Forest17,053
Domeland Add.Sequoia National Forest3,046
Excelsior (CA)Inyo National Forest45,607
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
HortonInyo National Forest5,717
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
Nevada (21)
AreaForestAcres
Alta T - East AHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest114
Alta T - NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,325
Arc Dome - Blank Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest3,662
Arc Dome - Cow CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,410
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Bunker HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest27,569
Four MileHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest24,093
Fourmile HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,718
Georges CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest108,551
Lobdell SummitHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,791
Mt. ArdiveyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest37,984
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
QuinnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest62,459
Ruby - Lamoille CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest32,771
Snake - MurphyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest27,064
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
Table Mtn. - EastHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest87,789
Toiyabe RangeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest99,225
Wellington HillsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest21,009
WileyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,864
Oregon (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bend WatershedDeschutes National Forest14,829
Castle RidgeWallowa-Whitman National Forest8,377
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
Utah (11)
AreaForestAcres
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
Bull ValleyFishlake National Forest10,594
Bull ValleyDixie National Forest10,911
Capital ReefDixie National Forest763
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Moody WashDixie National Forest31,835
Muddy Creek - Nelson Mt.Manti-Lasal National Forest59,034
Oak CreekFishlake National Forest54,053
Stansbury MountainsWasatch-Cache National Forest39,696
White MountainFishlake National Forest23,939
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Granite MountainOkanogan National Forest27,428
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
0401019Ashley National Forest6,202
0401035Ashley National Forest5,465
0401036Ashley National Forest6,309
References (18)
  1. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  2. Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.
  3. Cannings, R. J. 1999. Wildlife in British Columbia at risk: Great Basin spadefoot toad. British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria. 6 pp.
  4. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  5. Frost, D. R. 2010. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.4 (8 April 2010). Electronic Database accessible at http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
  6. Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html
  7. García-París, M., D.R. Buchholtz, and G. Parra-Olea. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships of Pelobatoidea re-examined using mtDNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 28:12-23.
  8. Hall, J.A. 1998. <i>Scaphiopus intermontanus</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 650:1-17.
  9. Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Second edition. University Press of Colorado, Boulder. xxvi + 484 pp.
  10. Neal, K. M. 2019. An integrative population and landscape genomic approach to conservation of a threatened California amphibian at multiple spatial scales. PhD Dissertation. University of California, Los Angeles. 170 pp.
  11. Neal, K. M., B. B. Johnson, and H. B. Shaffer. 2018. Genetic structure and environmental niche modeling confirm two evolutionary and conservation units within the western spadefoot (<i>Spea hammondii</i>). Conservation Genetics 19:937-946.
  12. Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87 pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx
  13. Nussbaum, R.A., E.D. Brodie, Jr., and R.M. Storm. 1983. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. University Press of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 332 pp.
  14. Species at Risk Branch. 2002. Species at risk range maps. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Online. Available: http://www.sis.ec.gc.ca/download_e.htm.
  15. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  16. Tanner, W. W. 1989. Status of <i>Spea stagnalis</i> Cope (1875), <i>Spea intermontanus</i> Cope (1889), and a systematic review of <i>Spea hammondii</i> Baird (1839) (Amphibia: Anura). Great Basin Nat. 49:503-510.
  17. Washington Herp Atlas. 2009 (map products updated March 2017). A cooperative effort of Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. 250 pp.
  18. Wiens, J. J., and T. A. Titus. 1991. A phylogenetic analysis of <i>Spea </i>(Anura: Pelobatidae). Herpetologica 47:21-28.