The U.S. state of Arkansas is located in the central part of the country. This list is derived largely from the Herps of Arkansas website. Conservation status is derived from NatureServe and represents the species' status within the state rather than their worldwide status. In Arkansas, there are 26 species of frog and toad, and 33 species of newts and salamanders. Of these species, 18 are ranked as "secure", 6 are "apparently secure", 10 are "vulnerable", 11 are "imperiled", 9 are "critically imperiled", and 1 is "possibly extirpated"; 3 species are not assessed.
Frogs and toads Order: Anura - frogs and toads
Family: Bufonidae - true toads ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionDwarf American toadAnaxyrus americanus charlesmithi(Bragg, 1954)SecureNon-nominate subspeciesStatewideFowler's toadAnaxyrus fowleri(Hinckley, 1882)SecureHybridizes with Woodhouse's toad in the southwestern part of the state, but A. woodhousii is not itself known to occur in ArkansasStatewideCoastal plain toadIncilius nebulifer(Girard, 1854)Critically imperiledSouth Arkansas
Family: Hylidae - tree frogs ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionBlanchard's cricket frogAcris blanchardiHarper, 1947SecureStatewideWestern bird-voiced tree frogDryophytes avivoca avivoca(Viosca, 1928)VulnerableSometimes put in the genus HylaAlong various waterways throughout southwestern and central ArkansasCope's gray tree frogDryophytes chrysoscelis(Cope, 1880)Apparently secureUsually indistinguishable from Dryophytes versicolor without DNA analysis or analysis of mating callSometimes put in the genus HylaMost of Arkansas except the northwestGreen tree frogDryophytes cinereus(Schneider, 1799)SecureSometimes put in the genus HylaMost of Arkansas except north-central and northwestSquirrel tree frogDryophytes squirellus(Daudin, 1800)Critically imperiledSometimes put in the genus HylaSoutheastern and south-central ArkansasGray tree frogDryophytes versicolor(Le Conte, 1825)Apparently secureUsually indistinguishable from Dryophytes chrysoscelis without DNA analysis or analysis of mating callSometimes put in the genus HylaNorthwestern ArkansasSpring peeperPseudacris crucifer(Wied-Neuwied, 1838)SecureMostly statewide, more scattered throughout the eastCajun chorus frogPseudacris fouquetteiLemmon et al., 2008SecureStatewide except southeast and north-centralIllinois chorus frogPseudacris illinoensisSmith, 1951Critically imperiledSand prairies of eastern Clay County, although its habitat has recently been converted to agricultural landBoreal chorus frogPseudacris maculataAgassiz, 1850ImperiledOnly confirmed from Pea Ridge National Military Park in Benton CountyStrecker's chorus frogPseudacris streckeriA. A. Wright & A. H. Wright, 1933ImperiledAlong the Arkansas River in central and western Arkansas
Family: Microhylidae - narrow-mouthed frogs ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionEastern narrow-mouthed toadGastrophryne carolinensis(Holbrook, 1835)SecureStatewideWestern narrow-mouthed toad Gastrophryne olivaceaHallowell, 1856ImperiledGenerally along the Arkansas River in central and western Arkansas, southern and northwestern populations of uncertain validity
Family: Ranidae - typical frogs ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionCrawfish frogLithobates areolatusImperiledSubspecies L. a. areolatus across most of range, L. a. circulosus may occur in southwestNortheast, northwest, southwest, and along Arkansas River until Lake Maumelle, where the range extends northeast to the intersection of the Black River and White RiverPlains leopard frogLithobates blairi(Mecham et al., 1973)Critically imperiledNorthern Mississippi CountyAmerican bullfrogLithobates catesbeianus(Shaw, 1802)SecureStatewideGreen frogLithobates clamitans(Latreille, 1801)Apparently secureTwo subspecies: The northern green frog (L. c. melanota) occurs in the northwest and central parts of Arkansas The bronze frog (L. c. clamitans) occurs in the northeast, east, and southStatewidePickerel frogLithobates palustris(Le Conte, 1825)Apparently secureNorthern and southwestern Arkansas, scattered records statewideCoastal Plains leopard frogLithobates sphenocephalus utricularius(Harlan, 1825)SecureNon-nominate subspeciesStatewideWood frogLithobates sylvaticus(Le Conte, 1825)VulnerableNorthwestern Arkansas, in Ozark Highlands and Boston Mountains
Family: Scaphiopodidae - American spadefoots ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionEastern spadefootScaphiopus holbrookii(Harlan, 1835)ImperiledFormerly considered the same species as Hurter's spadefootNortheastern Arkansas, historical records south of this along the Mississippi River may represent this species or Hurter's spadefootHurter's spadefootScaphiopus hurteriiStrecker, 1910ImperiledFormerly considered the same species as the eastern spadefootAlong various rivers in northern and central Arkansas; widespread in southwest. Populations in southeast may be this species or eastern spadefoot. Northwestern populations are extirpatedPlains spadefootSpea bombifrons(Cope, 1863)Critically imperiledAlong the Arkansas River in central Arkansas
Newts and salamanders Order: Caudata
Family: Ambystomatidae - mole salamanders ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionRinged salamanderAmbystoma annulatumCope, 1886VulnerableNorthwestern and western ArkansasSpotted salamanderAmbystoma maculatum(Shaw, 1802)SecureStatewideMarbled salamanderAmbystoma opacum(Gravenhorst, 1807)SecureStatewide except northwestMole salamanderAmbystoma talpoideumHolbrook, 1838VulnerableSouthwestern Arkansas, and east of the Black River in the northeastSmall-mouthed salamanderAmbystoma texanum(Matthes, 1855)SecureMost of Arkansas except north-centralEastern tiger salamanderAmbystoma tigrinum(Green, 1825)VulnerableEastern Springfield Plateau in northern Arkansas
Family: Amphiumidae - Amphiumas ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionThree-toed amphiumaAmphiuma tridactylumCuvier, 1827SecureSouthern, eastern, and central Arkansas
Family: Cryptobranchidae - giant salamanders ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionOzark hellbenderCryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopiCritically imperiledSometimes raised to species status, but usually considered a subspecies of eastern hellbenderFormerly more widespread through northern Arkansas, now restricted to Eleven Point River in northern Randolph County
Family: Plethodontidae - lungless salamanders ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionOuachita dusky salamanderDesmognathus brimleyorumStejneger, 1895SecureWestern and central ArkansasSpotted dusky salamanderDesmognathus conantiRossman, 1958Possibly extirpatedPossibly extirpated, formerly found along eastern edge of Crowley's Ridge in eastern ArkansasSeal salamanderDesmognathus monticolaDunn, 1916IntroducedIntroduced to Spavinaw Creek in Benton CountySouthern grotto salamanderEurycea braggi(Smith, 1968)Not assessed, least concern by IUCNEndemic or mostly endemic to ArkansasForms a species complex with E. spelaea and E. nerea, only distinguished by range or genetic testingBetween Beaver Lake and the Strawberry River on the Ozark PlateauSpotted-tail salamanderEurycea lucifugaRafinesque, 1822Apparently secureNorthern Arkansas, west of the Black RiverDark-sided salamanderEurycea melanopleura(Cope, 1894)Not assessedNorthern Arkansas, west of the Black RiverMany-ribbed salamanderEurycea multiplicata(Cope, 1869)SecureWestern-central ArkansasNorthern grotto salamanderEurycea nerea(Bishop, 1944)Not assessed, least concern by IUCNForms a species complex with E. spelaea and E. braggi, only distinguished by range or genetic testingBetween the Current River and Strawberry River, possibly further locations to the westWestern dwarf salamanderEurycea paludicola(Mittleman, 1947)VulnerableSouthern ArkansasWestern grotto salamanderEurycea spelaea(Stejneger, 1892)VulnerableForms a species complex with E. nerea and E. braggi, only distinguished by range or genetic testingWest of the White River in Benton County and Washington CountyOuachita streambed salamanderEurycea subfluvicolaBonnett, 2014Critically imperiledEndemic to ArkansasLake Catherine State Park, Hot Spring CountyOklahoma salamanderEurycea tynerensisMoore & Hughes, 1939VulnerableNorthern and northwestern ArkansasFour-toed salamanderHemidactylium scutatum(Temminck, 1838ImperiledWestern Arkansas in central Ouachita Mountains, distinct population in Cleburne CountyWestern slimy salamanderPlethodon albagulaGrobman, 1944Apparently secureForms a species complex with P. kiamichi and P. kisatchieNorthern, central, and eastern Arkansas, with a disjointed population centered around Bradley CountyOzark zigzag salamanderPlethodon angusticlaviusGrobman, 1944VulnerableNorthwestern and north-central ArkansasCaddo Mountain salamanderPlethodon caddoensisC. H. Pope & S. H. Pope, 1951ImperiledEndemic to ArkansasWestern part of the Caddo Mountain range within the Ouachita MountainsFourche Mountain salamanderPlethodon fourchensisDuncan & Highton, 1979ImperiledEndemic to ArkansasFourche and Iron Forks mountain ranges within the Ouachita MountainsKiamichi slimy salamanderPlethodon kiamichiHighton, 1989Critically imperiledForms a species complex with P. albagula and P. kisatchieEastern edge of Kiamichi Mountains in Polk County, Scott County, and Sebastian CountyLouisiana slimy salamanderPlethodon kisatchieHighton, 1989ImperiledForms a species complex with P. albagula and P. kiamichiSouthern shore of Ouachita River in Union CountyRich Mountain salamanderPlethodon ouachitaeDunn & Heinze, 1933ImperiledOuachita Mountains in northern Sevier County and a small part of bordering Polk CountySequoyah slimy salamanderPlethodon sequoyahHighton, 1989Critically imperiledSevier CountySouthern red-backed salamanderPlethodon serratusGrobman, 1944VulnerableMost of the Ouachita Mountains in western Arkansas
Family: Proteidae - mudpuppies ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionRed River mudpuppyNecturus louisianensisViosca, 1938SecurePhylogeny and distribution of the mudpuppies is poorly understoodMost major rivers, lakes, and streams throughout the state, Red River and Mississippi River populations may represent different species
Family: Salamandridae - newts ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionCentral newtNotophthalmus viridescens louisianensis(Wolterstorff, 1914)SecureNon-nominate subspeciesEssentially statewide, more scattered throughout eastern part of Arkansas
Family: Sirenidae - sirens ImageCommon nameScientific nameStatusNotes DistributionWestern lesser sirenSiren nettingiGoin, 1942SecureFormerly considered conspecific with Siren intermediaSouthern, central, and eastern Arkansas
Species potentially in Arkansas Some species are unconfirmed in Arkansas but may occur. Many of these species are separated from Arkansas by the Mississippi River, and may be common in the bordering regions of Mississippi and Tennessee. Other species may be hypothesized to occur in the state but are not confirmed. Some have gene flow and form species hybrids in the state with a more widespread species, but purebred members of one of the hybrid parent species are not confirmed. Rocky Mountain toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii) - Gene flow between this species and A. fowleri has been recorded in southwest Arkansas, but no purebred members of this species have been found. Eastern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) - Widespread east of the Mississippi River, but not recorded west of it. Southern cricket frog (Acris gryllus) - Widespread east of the Mississippi River, but not recorded west of it. Upland chorus frog (Pseudacris feriarum) - Widespread east of the Mississippi River, but not recorded west of it; may occupy regions in the northeast. Catahoula spotted dusky salamander (Desmognathus catahoula) - Recently described species known from eastern Texas and northern Louisiana. Its range may extend into southern Arkansas.