| Preface | vii | |
| Acknowledgments | ix | |
| Introduction | 1 | |
| A Brief History of Herpetology in Montana | 3 | |
| Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles | 9 | |
| The Montana Landscape: Habitats for Herpetofauna | 21 | |
| Observing Amphibians and Reptiles in the Field | 35 | |
| Conservation and Management | 41 | |
| Species Accounts | 49 | |
| Introduction | 50 | |
| Amphibians | 52 | |
| Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) | 52 | |
| Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) | 56 | |
| Coeur d'Alene Salamander (Plethodon idahoensis) | 60 | |
| Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (Ascaphus montanus) | 64 | |
| Plains Spadefoot (Spea bombifrons) | 68 | |
| Western Toad (Bufo boreas) | 72 | |
| Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus) | 76 | |
| Woodhouse's Toad (Bufo woodhousii) | 80 | |
| Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata) | 84 | |
| Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) | 88 | |
| Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) | 92 | |
| Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) | 96 | |
| American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) | 100 | |
| Reptiles | 104 | |
| Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) | 104 | |
| Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) | 108 | |
| Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera) | 112 | |
| Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea) | 116 | |
| Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) | 120 | |
| Common Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus) | 124 | |
| Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) | 128 | |
| Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus) | 132 | |
| Rubber Boa (Charina bottae) | 136 | |
| Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor) | 140 | |
| Western Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus) | 144 | |
| Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) | 148 | |
| Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) | 152 | |
| Gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer) | 156 | |
| Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans) | 160 | |
| Plains Gartersnake (Thamnophis radix) | 164 | |
| Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) | 168 | |
| Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) | 172 | |
| Species of Questionable Occurrence in Montana | 176 | |
| Idaho Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon aterrimus) | 176 | |
| Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa) | 178 | |
| Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) | 180 | |
| Canadian Toad (Bufo hemiophrys) | 182 | |
| Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana) | 184 | |
| Pigmy Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii) | 186 | |
| Identification Guide | 189 | |
| How to Use the Guide | 191 | |
| Adult Key | 192 | |
| Salamanders | 192 | |
| Frogs and Toads | 194 | |
| Turtles | 198 | |
| Lizards | 200 | |
| Snakes | 202 | |
| Larva Key | 208 | |
| Salamanders | 208 | |
| Frogs and Toads: Tadpoles | 210 | |
| Egg Key | 216 | |
| Appendix A | Presence or Absence of Native Amphibians and Reptiles in Montana's Five Ecological Provinces | 223 |
| Appendix B | Summary of Amphibian Reproductive Features | 224 |
| Appendix C | Summary of Reptile Reproductive Features | 226 |
| Appendix D | Contact Information for Federal, State, and Tribal Wildlife Agencies | 228 |
| Appendix E | Amphibian and Reptile Observation Form | 232 |
| Appendix F | Information about Rattlesnake Bite | 233 |
| Glossary | 239 | |
| Selected Bibliography | 247 | |
| Index | 253 | |
| Checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Montana | 259 |
Overview