Kansas Frogs and Toads: Pictures & ID Guide

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Occurs throughout much of the eastern third of Kansas, primarily east of the Flint Hills. A specimen from Trego County (FHSM 5857) has been examined and exhibits diagnostic features of this species; however, it is not mapped due to its presumed introduction—likely associated with hatchery operations at Cedar Bluff Reservoir.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Abundant throughout the eastern two-thirds of Kansas along the level muddy or gravel, sparsely vegetated, banks of streams, rivers, and impoundments. Historically, it was more widespread in the western two-thirds of Kansas, though largely confined to stream corridors.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: The Chihuahuan Green Toad (Anaxyrus debilis) is currently restricted to rangeland and canyon systems above the Smoky Hill River and Ladder Creek drainages in Greeley, Logan, Wallace, and Wichita counties, Kansas.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Found throughout the forested regions of the eastern third of Kansas. An isolated record exists at in Pratt County and may represent an accidental introduction at the state fish hatchery.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: This taxon is known from the Neosho, Marais des Cygnes, and northern Verdigris drainages, where they inhabit areas of perched water tables in upland grasslands with an abundance of crayfish. The northernmost records from Baker Wetlands/Wakarusa Bottoms (floodplain of the Wakarusa River: Kansas River drainage) in Douglas County may be extirpated (last observed in 1978).

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: This small frog is known only from the extreme southeastern Cherokee County within the Spring River drainage basin. It's primary population is on the Ozark Plateau, however, it follows riparian corridors along Brush, Shawnee, and Cow creeks to the north and west into the Cherokee Plain.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Specimens are known from Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, and Crawford counties in southeast Kansas. Potential specimens have been anecdotally reported south and east of Douglas County.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Found throughout the forested regions of the eastern third of Kansas. An isolated record exists at in Pratt County and may represent an accidental introduction at the state fish hatchery.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Occurs throughout western Kansas, extending eastward to the edge of the Flint Hills. Additionally, it follows riparian corridors along the Kansas River and northward along the Missouri River.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: This frog is known from the Spring River and its tributaries in Cherokee County. An old record from Miami County (KU 9281, which is now lost) was taken near the Marais des Cygnes River at Osawatomie on 11 July 1911.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Known from the Spring River drainage in Crawford and Cherokee counties. It has been collected 24.5 miles (39.5 km) west of the Kansas state line along the Spring River in adjacent Jasper County, Missouri (KU 18540, UIMNH 32888; both from 1934) approximately 8 miles east of Carthage.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: The Plains Spadefoot is found in western Kansas to the edge of the Flint Hills, and east along the floodplain of the Kansas and Missouri rivers. It is seldom encountered except when chorusing or moving (often across roads) The Plains Spadefoot inhabits prairies and open floodplains.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: The occurrence of this species has been documented in western Barber County and extreme southeastern Comanche County, with an isolated population in northern Clark County. An adult (51mm snout-vent length) specimen from Morton County (KU 9100, 12 mi N Elkhart, ca Walsh's Ranch [= Wood Walsh Ranch]: 25 June 1927: Burt and Parker) was reported by Hill (1931) from the material also reported on by Taylor (1929).

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: In Kansas, this species is confined to the eastern border south of Johnson County. During spring chorusing it can be found calling from ditches, ponds, and vernal pools associated with riparian corridors.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: They can be found in south-central Kansas through Oklahoma and into eastern Texas, east into western Louisiana, and west-central Arkansas along the Arkansas River. Other disjunct populations occur in west-central and southwest Illinois, southeastern Missouri, and northeastern Arkansas.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Known from the eastern three-fourths of the state, apparently avoiding much of the Western Plains. The record for Hamilton County (UIMNH 62332, from 1955) is in need of corroboration, although it is somewhat supported by specimens just to the west into Colorado.

Venom: “No species are venomous.” (Great Plains Nature Center (cooperative project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and City of Wichita); published by the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center)

Range: Common throughout all but extreme southeast Kansas where they are gradually replaced by Fowler's Toads (Bufo fowleri). Juveniles may be largely restricted to relatively mesic environments associated with breeding habitats of adults.