REPTILES, AMPHIBIAN, & FISHES CHECKLIST

We solicit details of the wildlife seen by visitors because such information adds immeasurably to the value of the park records. Those species with an asterisk have been identified in or near the park. For others, Capitol Reef National Park lies within their known range.

REPTILES

TURTLES

LIZARDS

Iguanids

• Chuckwalla* (Sauromalus obesus) - frequents rocky desert hillsides; feeds only on vegetation; Utah variety found along the Colorado River from Page, Arizona, to Hite, Utah; very rarely reported from South District.
• Collared Lizard* (Crotaphytus insularism Axtell, 1972) frequents rocky gullies, canyons, and slopes to about 1,800 meters (6,000 ft.) msi; feeds on insects and other lizards; observed in South District from Burr Trail to southern boundary.
• Leopard Lizard* (Crotaphytus wislizenii) - inhabits and and semiarid plains, alkali flats in bunchgrass, saltbush, shadscale and other short plants; feeds on insects, lizards, small mammals, and vegetation; recorded from Notom to southern boundary.
• Desert Spiny Lizard* (Sceloporus magister) - found in juniper-pinyon and riparian zone trees and occasionally in rocky areas; feeds on insects, lizards, and sometimes on selected vegetation; confirmed along east side of park from southern boundary north to Fremont River, but not in Fruits.
• Northern Plateau Lizard* (Sceloporus undulatus) - lives in great variety of habitats, from about 900 to 1,800 meters (3,000 to 6,000 ft.), juniper-pinyon woodlands, prairies, riparian woodlands, rocky hillsides-seeking shelter in bushes, trees, old buildings; feeds on insects; most abundant lizard in park; observed in nearly all park localities.
• Sagebrush Lizard* (Sceloporus graciosus) - found in pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush flats and generally at higher elevations than Northern Plateau lizard; feeds on insects; reported from Torrey, Fruita, Circle Cliffs, Muley Twist Canyon and on Thousand Lake Mountain.
• Side-blotched Lizard* (Uta stansburiana) - found in a great variety of habitats but seems to prefer sandy areas with little grass cover; an abundant lizard in most of the West; feeds on insects; observed in nearly all park locations.
• Tree Lizard* (Urosaurus omatus) - a climbing lizard found in riparian woodlands and on bare rock exposures; feeds on insects; reported from Fruits, Circle Cliffs, south boundary to U-24, and along the Fremont River.
• Short-horned Lizard* (Phrynosoma douglassi) inhabits semiarid plains to mountain habitats, being more cold tolerant than other horned lizards; bears live young; feeds on insects; reported from Fruita.

XANTUSIIDAE

Night Lizards

• Desert Night Lizard* (Xantusia vigilis) - found beneath rocks, dead stumps, and other debris in arid, sandy areas; very secretive and nocturnal; feeds on insects; bears live young; a relatively isolated population exists in Utah east of Capitol Reef's South District; may exist in the park.

SCINCIDAE

Skinks

• Great Basin Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus) - frequents grassland, woodland, and forests in habitats near streams but sometimes far from water; feeds on insects; not reported from Capitol Reef, but may occur in the mountainous areas of the North District.

TEIIDAE

Whiptails

• Great Basin Whiptail Lizard* (Cnemidophorus tigris) lives in and and semiarid areas where plants are sparse and soil tends to be sandy and elevations generally below 1,800 meters (6,000 ft); feeds on grubs, insects, and insect larvae; specimens reported from nearly all park locations below 2,134 meters (7,000 ft).

SNAKES

BOIDAE

Boas

• Rubber Boa Snake (Charina bottae) - found from sea level to 2,750 meters (9,000 ft.) msl in grassland, woodland, and forests; distribution spotty; not reported from Capitol Reef but possible in North District.

COLUBRIDAE

Colubrids

• Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor) found from sea level to 2,040 meters (6,700 ft.) msl in open habitats as meadows, prairies, thin brush, and forest glades of semiarid and moist environments; not reported from Capitol Reef, but possible in North District.
• Red Racer (Masticophis flagellum) - found from sea level to about 1,830 meters (6,000 ft.) in deserts, prairies, brushiands, and woodlands; very tolerant of warm, dry environments; not reported from Capitol Reef, but possible in South District.
• Striped Whipsnake* (Masticophis taeniatus) - found along the edge of the Great Basin Desert in pinyon-juniper to ponderosa pine habitats; reported from Capitol Gorge; also recorded in Fruita, along the Fremont River, and in Halls Creek at south boundary. Great Basin Gopher Snake* (Pituophis melanoleucus)- frequents deserts, prairies, brushiands, woodlands, and coniferous forests to over 2,700 meters (9,000 ft.) msi; one of the most common snakes at Capitol Reef; observed in Fruita, along the Fremont River and in South and North Districts.
• California Kingsnake* (Lampropeltis getulus) - found in a great variety of habitats from coniferous forests, woodlands, swamplands, river bottoms, and prairies below about 1,830 meters (6,000 ft.) msi; recorded in swampy areas along Fremont River; not common .
• Utah Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana) mountain dweller ranging from pinyon-juniper woodlands into the pine-fir belt; not reported from Capitol Reef but possible in North District.
• Utah Milk Snake (Lampropeltis trianguium) - found in coniferous habitats, broadleaf woodlands, rocky hillsides, prairies and sand dunes from the lowlands into the mountains; very secretive; not reported from Capitol Reef, but possible in North District.
• Wandering Garter Snake* (Thamnophis elegans) occurs in a great variety of habitats from grasslands, brushlands, and woodlands from sea level to high in the mountains; often found near water; bears live young; very common in Fruita; recorded in Fruita; along the Fremont River, at 2,740 meters (9,000 ft.) on Thousand Lake Mountain.
• Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata) - frequents plains, sagebrush flats. deserts, woodlands from sea level to mountain slopes; reported from Torrey and Fruits.
• Utah Black-Headed Snake (Tantilla planiceps) grassland, woodland, deserts from sea level to 1,830 meters (6,000 ft.); secretive; possible in South District.

IPERIDAE

Vipers

• Western Rattlesnake* (Crotalus viridis) - found in rock outcrops, talus, rocky stream courses, ledges usually in this area; live bearing; rarely seen in Capitol Reef; reported from Fruita, Torrey and Grand Wash.

AMPHIBIANS

SALAMANDERS

AMSYSTOMIDAE

Mole Salamanders

• Tiger Salamander* (Ambystoma tigrinum) - 900 to 3,350 meters (3,000 to 1 1,000 ft.) msi; frequents quiet water ponds, reservoirs, lakes, temporary rain pools, and streams that do not contain predatory fish; dark olive colored in this area; recorded on Thousand Lake Mountain.

FROGS AND TOADS

PELOBATIDAE

Spadefoot Toads

• Great Basin Spadefoot Toad* (Scaphiopus intermontanus) - 1,500 to 3,050 meters (5,000 to 10,000 ft.) msl; vertical pupils; enters permanent and semi-permanent water in response to rain, in dry weather burrows into the ground; reported from South District near Halls Creek; Indian Gulch; Moki Tanks; reported from South District near Halls Creek, the Fremont River, and tanks in the Waterpocket Fold.
• Western Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus hammondi) - 900 to 1,800 meters (3,000 to 6,000 ft.) msl; vertical pupils, when handled, may smell like roasted peanuts and skin secretion may cause sneezing; probably does not occur with Great Basin spadefoot, but has similar habits.

BUFONIDAE

True Toads

• Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas) - 1,219 to 3,350 meters (4,000 to 1 1,000 ft.) msi; meadows; white or cream-colored dorsal stripes and lack of cranian crests; reported from Torrey.
• Rocky Mountain Toad* (Bufo woodhousei) - 900 to 2,600 meters (3,000 to 8,500 ft.) msl; white dorsal stripe, prominent cranial crests; riparian species along river courses and ditches; reported from Fruita, Torrey, the Fremont River, Halls Creek, Sulphur Creek and tanks in the Waterpocket Fold.
• Red Spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus) - 900 to 2,000 meters (3,000 to 6,500 ft.) msl; flattened head and round parotoids; usually associated with rocks; reported from Fruita, along the Fremont River and in the South District.

HYLIDAE

Tree frogs

• Canyon Treefrog* (Hyla arenicolor) - 900 to 2,750 meters (3,000 to 9,000 ft.) msl; intermittent streams with rocky pools; prominent toe pads; recorded at south boundary in Halls Creek, and often numerous in Fountain Tanks.
• Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata) - 2,125 to 3,350 meters (7,000 to 1 1,000 ft.) msl; without toe pads; grassy pools, lakes, and marshes; not reported from Capitol Reef area, probably occurs at high elevations near Capitol Reef.

RANIDAE

True Frogs

• Leopard Frog* (Rana pipiens) - 900 to 3,350 meters (3,000 to 1 1,000 ft.) msl; oval or round dark spots with pale borders; frequents permanent water areas; reported from Fruita and Torrey; also observed along Fremont River, Grover, south boundary in Halls Creek.

FISHES

SALMONIDAE

Trout & Chars

• Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) - native to Europe but probably introduced into the West before 1900; thrives in the Fremont River because of tolerance to warm water.
• Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdnerii) - introduced from the Pacific Coast of the United States; lives well in both cold and warm water.
• Cutthroat Trout (Salmo clarkii) - native to Utah and the Intermountain Region; hybridizes with Rainbow trout.
• Brook Trout (Saivelinus fontinalis) - introduced to the West from the Northeastern part of the United States; found in some cold water streams that flow into the Fremont River.

CATOSTOMIDAE

Suckers

• Flannelmouth Sucker (Catostomus latipinnis) - native to the Colorado River system; herbivorous; ascends streams in the spring to spawn.
• Bluehead Sucker (Pantosteus delphinus) - native to the Colorado River system; usually found in riffles of the streams; feeds on algae, slime, and aquatic insect larvae.

CYPRINIDAE

Chubs, Dance, Minnows & Shiners

• Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus) - native to the Fremont River where it is the most abundant fish; prefers rubble-strewn riffle areas; feeds on algae and other plant materials as well as small crustaceans, insect larvae, and small snails.
• Utah Chub (Gila atraria) - introduced into the Fremont River as bait by fishermen; native habitat is the Bonneville Basin; generalized feeder, consuming higher plants, algae, terrestrial and aquatic insects, snails, crustaceans, and small fish; spawns during July.
• Leatherside Minnow (Gila copei) - found in the Fremont River; feeding and habits probably similar to the Utah chub.
• Redside Shiner (Richardsonius balteatus) - introduced into the Fremont River, native to Bonneville and Columbia River basins; feeds on small aquatic insect larvae, crustaceans, and some plant debris; spawns in late June.

ICTALURIDAE

North American Catfishes

• Black Bullhead (ictalurus melas) - occasionally found in Halls Creek near the southern park boundary where it undoubtedly migrates from Lake Powell; black bullhead is adaptable to a wide range of aquatic conditions but shows preference for more quiet and muddier parts of a stream.

CENTRARCHIDAE

Sunfishes

• Bluegill (Lepomis machrochirus) - occasionally found in Halls Creek where it undoubtedly migrates from Lake Powell; feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, insect larvae, and occasionally on small fish and aquatic plants.

COTTIDAE

Sculpins

• Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdi) - probably introduced into the Fremont River from the Bonneville system; carnivorous, a bottom feeder utilizing insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish and snails