List of amphibians of West Virginia

48 species of amphibians (class Amphibia) are known to inhabit the state of West Virginia. The ranges of some 34 salamander species and 14 species of frogs and toads extend into some portion of the state. Two of these — the Cheat Mountain salamander and West Virginia spring salamander — are endemic to West Virginia; they are the only vertebrate species found only within the state. The former species is considered threatened and the latter is considered endangered by federal authorities. Many of West Virginia's amphibian species are declining in population due to habitat destruction and water pollution.^[1]

The IUCN classifies six species as "Near Threatened" (Eastern Hellbender,^[2] Streamside Salamander,^[3] Shenandoah Mountain Salamander,^[4] Cheat Mountain Salamander,^[5] Cow Knob Salamander,^[6] and Green Salamander^[7]) and one species as "Endangered" (West Virginia Spring Salamander^[8]).

The following letters indicate the likelihood of finding each animal in West Virginia:^[9]

C	Common	Can be commonly seen in suitable habitat within current range.
U	Uncommon	Seldom seen because habitat restricted and/or behavior secretive.
R	Rare	Not often present even in suitable habitat.

Order Caudata (salamanders)

Family Cryptobranchidae (giant salamanders)

• Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) C

Family Proteidae (mudpuppies)

• Common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) C

Family Ambystomatidae (mole salamanders)

• Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) U

• Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) C

• Marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) C

• Small-mouthed salamander (Ambystoma texanum) R

• Streamside salamander (Ambystoma barbouri) R

Family Salamandridae (newts)

• Red-spotted newt/red eft (Notophthalmus viridescens) C

Family Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders)

• Northern dusky salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) C

• Allegheny Mountain dusky salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) C

• Seal salamander (Desmognathus monticola) C

• Black Mountain salamander (Desmognathus welteri) U

• Black-bellied salamander (Desmognathus quadramaculatus) U

• Eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) C

• Southern ravine salamander (Plethodon richmondi) C

• Northern ravine salamander (Plethodon electromorphus) C

• Valley and ridge salamander (Plethodon hoffmani) C

• Shenandoah Mountain salamander (Plethodon virginia) U

• Cumberland Plateau salamander (Plethodon kentucki) C

• Cheat Mountain salamander (Plethodon nettingi) R

• Northern slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) C

• White-spotted slimy salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus) C

• Wehrle's salamander (Plethodon wehrlei) C

• Cow Knob salamander (Plethodon punctatus) U

• Four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) C

• Northern spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) C

• West Virginia spring salamander (Gyrinophilus subterraneus) R

• Midland mud salamander (Pseudotriton montanus) U

• Northern red salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) C

• Green salamander (Aneides aeneus) U

• Southern two-lined salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) C

• Northern two-lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata) C

• Long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda) C

• Cave salamander (Eurycea lucifuga) U

Order Anura (frogs)

Family Pelobatidae (American spadefoot toads)

• Eastern spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) R

Family Bufonidae (true toads)

• Eastern American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) C

• Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) C

Family Hylidae (tree frogs)

• Eastern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) U

• Gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) C

• Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) C

• Mountain chorus frog (Pseudacris brachyphona) C

• Upland chorus frog (Pseudacris feriarum) U

• Northern spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) C

Family Ranidae (true frogs)

• American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) C

• Northern green frog (Lithobates clamitans) C

• Wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) C

• Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) U

• Pickerel frog (Lithobates palustris) C

References

List of amphibians of the United States by political division States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Federal district Washington, D.C. Insular areas American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Other lists North American amphibians North American reptiles Amphibians and reptiles by region

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