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Ascaphus truei

Stejneger, 1899

Coastal Tailed Frog

G4Apparently Secure Found in 87 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104837
Element CodeAAABA01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyAscaphidae
GenusAscaphus
Other Common Names
Grenouille à queue côtière (FR) Grenouille-à-queue côtière (FR) Pacific Tailed Frog (EN)
Concept Reference
Nielson, M., K. Lohman, and J. Sullivan. 2001. Phylogeography of the tailed frog (Ascaphus truei): implications for the biogeography of the Pacific Northwest. Evolution 55:147-160.
Taxonomic Comments
Nielson et al. (2001) examined phylogeography of A. truei using mtDNA data. Based on the results of this study and on previous allozyme and morphological data, they recommended that the coastal and inland segments of A. truei be recognized as distinct species, A. truei (coastal) and A. montanus (inland). See also Ritland et al. (2000) for information on tailed frog phylogeography based on genetic variation.

Tailed frogs sometimes are placed in the family Leiopelmatidae. Stebbins (1985) placed them in the family Ascaphidae.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-02-02
Change Date2001-10-05
Edition Date2004-05-05
Edition AuthorsGaines, E., and G. Hammerson
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Moderately widespread and locally common in the Pacific Northwest from British Columbia to northwestern California; may be detrimentally affected by habitat changes resulting from timber harvest (depends on surface geology and harvest practices), but exists in many young forests that have been harvested in the past.
Range Extent Comments
Cascades and the Pacific Coast from southern British Columbia south to northwestern California (Nielson et al. 2001, Stebbins 2003).
Occurrences Comments
Many extant occurrences distributed throughout the range. Washington has 436 unique sites, many of which will combine into a smaller number of distinct occurrences (K. Dvornich, pers. comm., 1997). Oregon has approximately 60 occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
Sensitive to logging and road building (Leonard et al. 1993). Logging and construction practices that increase water temperatures and siltation may have an adverse effect on tailed frog populations (Nussbaum et al. 1983, Welsh and Ollivier 1998). See also Bury and Corn (1988) and Corn and Bury (1989) for information on negative effects of timber harvest. Diller and Wallace (1999) emphasized that current timber harvest practices are not as detrimental as those used in the past. Despite negative effects of logging, this species frequently occurs in many young forests that have been harvested one or more times in the past. Sensitivity to timber harvest may depend on surface geology and harvest practices (Adams and Bury 2002, Welsh and Lind 2002).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Clear, cold swift-moving mountain streams with coarse substrates. Primarily in older forest sites; required microclimatic and microhabitat conditions are more common in older forests (Welsh 1990). Diller and Wallace (1999) reported that canopy cover, temperature, and forest age in managed forests were not significantly different between occupied and unoccupied stream reaches in northern California; however, this probably reflects past timber harvest patterns. May be found on land during wet weather near water in humid forests or in more open habitat. During dry weather stays on moist stream-banks. Lays eggs in long strings under stones in water.

Ecology

Adult and subadult frogs usually are less commonly encountered than are larvae. For example, in California, Diller and Wallace (1999) found 693 A. truei larvae but only 32 metamorphosed individuals over four years in 54 of 72 randomly selected streams, though researchers have found higher densities in other areas. Diller and Wallace found 0.04-0.76 larvae per square meter (mean 0.24), whereas Hawkins et al. (1988) recorded mean densities of 0.58 to 4.40 larvae per square meter in three different classes of watersheds near Mt. St. Helens in Washington; two of the three sampled streams contained two larval cohorts.

Reproduction

Breeds May-October, mostly in fall. Fertilization is internal; male has a tail-like copulatory organ. Clutch size averages 44-75; eggs are laid in July, hatch in August-September. Larval period lasts 2-4 years in mountains and northern areas, 1 year in a few coastal Oregon populations (Bury and Adams 1999) and in lowland streams of California (Wallace and Diller 1998). May not breed until 7-8 years old or 6-8 years after metamorphosis (Nussbaum et al. 1983).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - Mixed
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonS4Yes
OregonS3Yes
CaliforniaS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (87)
California (15)
AreaForestAcres
Condrey Mtn.Klamath National Forest2,923
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
North Fork SmithSix Rivers National Forest37,898
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
PacksaddleSix Rivers National Forest3,862
PattisonShasta-Trinity National Forest29,299
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Siskiyou ASix Rivers National Forest1,017
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
Ukonom CreekKlamath National Forest4,621
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
Oregon (34)
AreaForestAcres
Badger CreekMt. Hood National Forest847
Bull Of The WoodsWillamette National Forest53
Bull Of The WoodsMt. Hood National Forest8,843
CornpatchWillamette National Forest7,346
Drift CreekSiuslaw National Forest6,333
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
Echo MountainWillamette National Forest8,098
ElkhornWillamette National Forest9,380
French Pete (a)Willamette National Forest1,668
Gordon MeadowsWillamette National Forest9,463
Hebo 1aSiuslaw National Forest13,930
Jackson Creek AppendageUmpqua National Forest4,673
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Maiden PeakWillamette National Forest9,627
Maiden PeakDeschutes National Forest26,432
Mclennon MountainWillamette National Forest8,085
Menagerie (rooster Rock)Willamette National Forest374
Middle SantiamWillamette National Forest7,316
Moose LakeWillamette National Forest5,013
Mt. JeffersonDeschutes National Forest2,282
Mt. BaileyUmpqua National Forest18,401
Mt. Hood AdditionsMt. Hood National Forest13,061
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
Opal CreekWillamette National Forest5,417
Roaring RiverMt. Hood National Forest27,316
Salmon - HuckleberryMt. Hood National Forest17,570
Smith UmpquaSiuslaw National Forest7,622
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Waldo - FujiWillamette National Forest15,273
Waldo - LakeWillamette National Forest2,993
Waldo - Many PrariesWillamette National Forest2,585
Waldo - Salmon CreekWillamette National Forest3,195
Williams CreekUmpqua National Forest5,844
Washington (38)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekGifford Pinchot National Forest7,980
Big Lava BedGifford Pinchot National Forest19,043
Blue LakeGifford Pinchot National Forest11,359
Boulder RiverMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest32,563
BourbonGifford Pinchot National Forest4,512
Carlton RidgeGifford Pinchot National Forest2,190
Dark DivideGifford Pinchot National Forest52,483
Devils GulchWenatchee National Forest24,419
Eagle RockMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest34,064
Glacier Peak BMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest19,328
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Goat Rocks AdjWenatchee National Forest6,108
Higgins MountainMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest13,185
Jefferson RidgeOlympic National Forest6,512
Jupiter RidgeOlympic National Forest10,148
Liberty BellOkanogan National Forest108,495
LightningOlympic National Forest7,179
ManastashWenatchee National Forest11,155
Moonlight DomeOlympic National Forest4,919
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Mt. ZionOlympic National Forest3,544
Norse PeakWenatchee National Forest10,169
PompeyGifford Pinchot National Forest23,985
QuartzWenatchee National Forest8,550
QuilceneOlympic National Forest18,656
SawtoothOkanogan National Forest122,194
SiouxonGifford Pinchot National Forest12,773
South QuinaultOlympic National Forest11,081
TaneumWenatchee National Forest26,140
Thorp Mtn.Wenatchee National Forest22,717
TumwaterGifford Pinchot National Forest8,676
Upper SkokomishOlympic National Forest9,311
West AdamsGifford Pinchot National Forest2,238
References (32)
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