Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at 

Manzanar National Historic Site, California 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey

Southwest Biological Science Center

Open-File Report 2006-1232

September 2006

Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at 

Manzanar National Historic Site, California

By Trevor B. Persons, Erika M. Nowak, and Scott Hillard

Open-File Report 2006-1232

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Patrick Leahy, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006

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Suggested citation:

Persons, T.B., Nowak, E.M., and Hillard, S., 2006, Inventory of amphibians and reptiles at Manzanar National Historic 

Site, California: U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Colorado Plateau Research Station, 

Open-File Report 2006-1232, 27 p.
iii

Contents

Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Study Area Description .................................................................................................................................1

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................2

Sampling Design ...................................................................................................................................2

Generation of Random Point Locations ...................................................................................2

Field Methods ........................................................................................................................................2

Time Area Constrained Searches .............................................................................................2

Lizard Line Transects ...................................................................................................................3

Daytime General Surveys ...........................................................................................................3

Nocturnal General Surveys ........................................................................................................3

Random Encounters ....................................................................................................................3

Pitfall Traps ...................................................................................................................................3

Nighttime Road Driving ...............................................................................................................4

Spatial Data Collection ........................................................................................................................5

Voucher Specimens .............................................................................................................................5

Data Analysis .........................................................................................................................................5

Data and Other Products .....................................................................................................................7

Report Review .......................................................................................................................................7

Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................................7

Overview of Inventory Results ............................................................................................................7

Literature and Museum Specimen Review ......................................................................................8

Sampling Effort and Efficacy of Methods .........................................................................................8

Estimate of Inventory Completeness ................................................................................................9

Inventory Completeness of Different Taxa Groups .........................................................................9

Evaluation of Inventory Completeness Through Species Accumulation ..................................11

Rare, Exotic, or Sensitive Species ...................................................................................................11

Specimens Collected .........................................................................................................................11

Update of NPSpecies and NatureBib Databases .........................................................................12

Biogeography of the Manzanar Herpetofauna ..............................................................................13

Considerations for Future Inventory Work and Long-term Monitoring ..............................................14

Future Inventory Work .......................................................................................................................14

Long-term Monitoring ........................................................................................................................14

Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................................15

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................16

Appendix A. Data Form ............................................................................................................................19

Appendix B. Contact Information for Experts Consulted ...................................................................21

Appendix C. Annotated List of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site ...25

Appendix D. Scientific Names of Amphibian and Reptile Species ..................................................27
iv

Figures

 1. Locations of random points used in TACS and lizard line transect surveys for 

amphibians and reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, 2002–3 .................................4

2. Location of ten amphibian and reptile pitfall traps installed at Manzanar National 

Historic Site in 2002–3 ..................................................................................................................4

 3. Species accumulation curve for amphibians and reptiles at Manzanar National Historic 

Site, 2002–3 ..................................................................................................................................11

 4. Location of collection of amphibian and reptile voucher specimens at Manzanar 

National Historic Site, 2002–3 ...................................................................................................12

Tables

 1. UTM coordinates (NAD27) of point locations used for time area constrained searches 

and lizard line transects during an amphibian and reptile inventory at Manzanar 

National Historic Site, 2002–3 .....................................................................................................3

 2. UTM coordinates (NAD27) of pitfall traps used during an amphibian and reptile 

inventory at Manzanar National Historic Site in 2003 ............................................................5

 3. Amphibian and reptile species documented for Manzanar National Historic Site, and 

the number of each species observed by each method during herptetofauna surveys in 

2002–3 .............................................................................................................................................8

 4. Number of discrete surveys and total person-hours of each method allocated 

during an inventory of amphibians and reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site 

in 2002–3 .........................................................................................................................................8

 5. Peak values of lizards observed on line transects at Manzanar National Historic Site in 

2002–3 .............................................................................................................................................9

 6. All amphibian and reptile species found or expected to occur at Manzanar National 

Historic Site ................................................................................................................................10

 7. Amphibian and reptile specimens collected at Manzanar National Historic Site in 

2002–3 ...........................................................................................................................................13
Abstract

We conducted a baseline inventory for amphibians and 

reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site (MANZ), Inyo 

County, California, in 2002–3. Objectives for this inventory 

were to: 1) inventory and document the occurrence of reptile 

and amphibian species at MANZ, with the goal of documenting at least 90% of the species present; 2) provide one voucher 

specimen for each species identified; 3) provide a GIS-referenced list of sensitive species that are known to be federally- or 

state-listed, rare, or worthy of special consideration that occur 

at MANZ; 4) describe park-wide distribution of federally- or 

state-listed, rare, or special concern species; 5) enter all species 

data into the National Park Service NPSpecies database; and 

6) provide all deliverables as outlined in the Mojave Network 

Biological Inventory Study Plan. Survey methods included 

time-area constrained searches, lizard line transects, general 

surveys, nighttime road driving, and pitfall trapping. We documented the occurrence of ten reptile species (seven lizards and 

three snakes), but found no amphibians. Based on our findings, 

as well as literature review and searches for museum specimen 

records, we estimate inventory completeness for Manzanar to 

be 50%. Although the distribution and relative abundance of 

common lizard species is now known well enough to begin 

development of a monitoring protocol for that group, additional 

inventory work is needed in order to establish a baseline of species occurrence of amphibians and snakes at Manzanar.

Key Words: amphibians, reptiles, Manzanar National 

Historic Site, Inyo County, California, Owens Valley, Mojave 

Desert, Great Basin Desert, inventory.

Introduction

In fiscal year 2000, the National Park Service (NPS) 

received a substantial budget increase for inventory and monitoring studies, and a nationwide program to inventory vertebrates and vascular plants within the national parks was begun 

in earnest. As part of this new inventory effort led by the NPS 

Inventory and Monitoring program, a total of 265 national 

park units (parks, monuments, recreation areas, historic sites, 

etc.) were identified as having significant natural resources, 

and these were divided into 32 groups or “networks” based on 

geographical proximity and similar habitat types. The Mojave 

Network consists of six NPS units in the Mojave and Great 

Basin biomes: Death Valley National Park (DEVA), Great 

Basin National Park (GRBA), Joshua Tree National Park 

(JOTR), Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LAME), Manzanar National Historic Site (MANZ) and Mojave National 

Preserve (MOJA). A biological inventory study plan was 

developed in 2001 for the Mojave Network (NPS 2001), and 

MANZ identified inventory of amphibians and reptiles as a 

high priority, as no previous inventory had been undertaken for 

these taxa.

Objectives for this two-year inventory of amphibians and 

reptiles were to: 1) inventory and document the occurrence 

of reptile and amphibian species at MANZ, with the goal of 

documenting at least 90% of the species present; 2) provide 

one voucher specimen for each species identified; 3) provide 

a GIS-referenced list of sensitive species that are known to be 

federally- or state-listed, rare, or worthy of special consideration that occur at MANZ; 4) describe park-wide distribution 

of federally- or state-listed, rare, or special concern species; 5) 

enter all species data into the National Park Service NPSpecies database; and 6) provide all deliverables as outlined in the 

Mojave Network Biological Inventory Study Plan. 

Study Area Description

Manzanar National Historic Site was established in 1992 

in order to protect and interpret the historical, cultural, and 

natural resources associated with the relocation of JapaneseAmericans during World War II. MANZ is located in Inyo 

County, in southern California’s Owens Valley, between the 

towns of Independence and Lone Pine. The site encompasses 

330 ha, and elevation ranges between about 1167-1220 m. 

The Owens Valley experiences a predominantly high desert 

climate, as it is protected from Pacific Ocean air masses by the 

Sierra Nevada range to the west. Summer high temperatures 

often exceed 38° C, followed by evenings ranging from 18° 

C to 24° C. Winter temperatures are moderate and on average 

drop below freezing about 10 days per year. Precipitation falls 

as a mix of rain and snow during the months from December 

Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at 

Manzanar National Historic Site, California

By Trevor B. Persons, Erika M. Nowak, and Scott Hillard
2 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

through March, and summer precipitation is minimal. Mean 

annual precipitation totals only about 10 cm. 

Biological diversity is greatest along the primary natural 

watercourse, Bairs Creek, flowing east from the Sierra through 

the historic site toward the Owens River. Bairs Creek is intermittent, carrying substantial flows during periods of spring and 

summer runoff, but tapering off to minimal or no flow during 

fall and winter months. Soils are composed of alluvial materials deposited by erosion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and 

are coarse and well drained.

MANZ is situated in the central Owens Valley, in an area 

of transition between the Great Basin Desert to the north and 

the Mojave Desert to the south (Macey and Papenfuss 1991a, 

b). Natural vegetation at MANZ is primarily Great Basin 

Desertscrub, characterized by low shrubs such as sagebrush 

(Artemisia tridentata), saltbush (Atriplex polycarpa), and 

rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus). Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), which occurs in the southern Owens Valley, 

is absent at MANZ. A portion of the site also is covered by 

a large cottonwood grove that exists in a unique hydrologic 

area where groundwater remains relatively near the surface. 

Finally, a small riparian zone is present along Bairs Creek. 

While some portions of the site contain relatively natural 

vegetation communities, most of the area reflects the many 

years of heavy human occupation, and weedy annual plants 

and non-native trees such as black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and tamarisk (Tamarix spp) are common. In addition, 

remnants of an historical orchard of pear and apple (Malus

spp.) trees exist.

Methods

Sampling Design

We used a combination of non-random, general herpetological survey methods and standardized surveys at random 

locations to survey for amphibians and reptiles at MANZ. 

Prior to the start of the inventory we randomly generated 

sample points throughout the historic site, and conducted both 

TACS and lizard line surveys at many of these (randomly 

selected from the larger pool of points), to compare the two 

methods for inventory purposes and evaluate their potential 

in long-term monitoring. In addition, we reviewed pertinent 

literature and searched for museum specimen records, and 

consulted with local experts regarding possible occurrence of 

certain species at MANZ. 

Generation of Random Point Locations

We generated random points by hand for the amphibian 

and reptile inventory using a random number table to select 

among all possible UTM coordinates falling within the historic 

site. To do this, we used the USGS 7.5 minute topographic 

map of Manzanar and a standard UTM grid overlay sheet to 

estimate UTM coordinates (NAD27 datum) for the southwest 

corner, southeast corner, and northernmost point of the MANZ 

boundary. For ease of calculation, these points were then 

extrapolated to create a northwest corner and northeast corner 

of a rectangle encompassing MANZ, but including area in 

the northwest and northeast outside the boundary. The UTM 

bounds for the north, south, east, and west sides of this rectangle were determined to be 4066080 N, 4063960 N, 398480 

E, and 396020 E, respectively. Because only the last four digits of each UTM coordinate varied, we used a base-8 random 

number table (Heyer et al. 1994) to generate eight consecutive 

random digits, corresponding to the variable four digits of 

the easting and northing, respectively, of a new random point 

location. The table was read sequentially, and each octet was 

visually scanned to see if the resulting UTM would fall within 

the extended rectangle encompassing MANZ (i.e. 6020-8480 

E, 3960-6080 N). The first three pages (1,536 UTM values) 

of this random number table were used, and 76 points were 

generated. These points were numbered initially 1-76, so that 

points outside MANZ are missing from the final list. These 

were hand plotted on a map, and of these, 43 were determined 

to fall within the actual boundaries of MANZ. We conducted 

surveys at the first 19 of these 43 points, as well as at one 

additional non-random point. We conducted both a time-area 

constrained search and lizard line transect at 18 points, and 

conducted a lizard line transect at two additional points. Each 

point was sampled by each method only once during the 

inventory. The UTM coordinates of the points surveyed are 

listed in Table 1, and mapped in Figure 1.

Field Methods

For this inventory, we used a combination of time-area 

constrained searches (TACS; Persons and Nowak 2006), 100 

m long walking transect surveys for lizards (“lizard lines”; 

Rosen and Lowe 1996), time-recorded visual encounter surveys (“general surveys”), nighttime road driving surveys, and 

limited pitfall trapping. These methods are outlined below.

Time Area Constrained Searches

Time area constrained searches (TACS) are a version of 

visual encounter surveys defined by Crump and Scott (1994) 

in which not only the amount of time spent searching, but also 

the area covered, are standardized. TACS consist of walking systematically through the sampling area for a specified 

amount of time, searching all areas within the habitat, and 

recording reptiles and amphibians encountered (Scott 1994). 

This method yields a number of individuals and species collected or observed per person-hour. We conducted TACS surveys for a minimum of one person-hour within a one ha square 

plot (i.e., 100 m x 100 m) centered on a randomly generated 

point location. We also collected habitat data at these random 

points, including dominant tree, shrub, and herbaceous plant 
3

species and estimated mean height and percent cover of these 

species and classes. In addition, we estimated percent cover of 

other habitat elements, such as bare ground, rocks, and woody 

debris. A copy of the field data sheet used for TACS is reproduced in Appendix A.

Lizard Line Transects

We conducted standardized walking transects for lizards (“lizard lines”), similar to those developed at Organ 

Pipe Cactus National Monument by Rosen and Lowe (1995, 

1996). These 100 m long, 15 m wide transects were centered on the same random point locations as the TACS plot 

searches, in order to compare survey methods. Like Rosen and 

Lowe (1995), we made repeated walks of the survey transect 

throughout the morning or afternoon, in order to detect a peak 

activity value for multiple lizard species, many of which have 

different thermal preferences and therefore different temporal 

activity patterns throughout the day. However, unlike Rosen 

and Lowe (1995), we did not record distance from midline 

data for individual observations (with larger sample sizes, 

these data could be used to refine density estimates and correct for differences in lizard observability between transects, 

using distance sampling analysis; Buckland et al. 2001). We 

recorded the species, age or size class, and sex (if possible) for 

each lizard observed along the transect. Habitat data collected 

at lizard lines were the same as for TACS, and represented the 

whole 1 ha plot area the line was located in and not merely the 

narrow strip transect. As with TACS, we recorded dominant 

tree, shrub, and herbaceous plant species and estimated mean 

height and percent cover of these species and classes, as well as 

estimated percent cover of other habitat elements, such as bare 

ground, rocks, and woody debris. A copy of the field data sheet 

used for lizard line transects is reproduced in Appendix A.

Daytime General Surveys

We conducted visual encounter surveys that were not time 

or area-limited. In these “general surveys,” we sampled habitats 

that appeared to be of high quality for reptiles or amphibians, were otherwise unique, and/or were not represented by 

TACS plots. The focus of this method was to search selected 

microhabitats opportunistically without necessarily covering a 

given area thoroughly. ). During daytime general surveys we 

recorded the area searched (either with GPS points or written route descriptions, or both), start and stop times, weather 

conditions (temperature, cloud cover, wind, relative humidity) 

at the beginning and end of each survey, and observations of all 

amphibians or reptiles encountered during the survey.

Nocturnal General Surveys

Nocturnal general surveys were conducted in the same 

manner as daytime general surveys, except that they occurred at 

night. During these surveys, we primarily targeted aquatic habitats along Bairs Creek potentially used by amphibians. These 

surveys included an aural component, i.e. listening at potential 

breeding locations for calling amphibians, as well as searching 

backwaters along the creek for tadpoles and egg masses. 

Random Encounters

Amphibians and reptiles seen by us or by park staff incidental to other fieldwork were referred to as “random encounters.” As with the animals seen or captured by the different 

sampling methods described above, we recorded standard data 

on random encounters, including date, time, location, species, 

and size measurements and sex (if the animal was captured).

Pitfall Traps

Midway through the 2003 field season we installed ten 

pitfall traps in high quality microhabitats at MANZ (five 

under trees in blocks 5 and 6, just north of Bairs Creek, and 

five along Bairs Creek east of the Chicken Ranch), with the 

hope of detecting additional species not easily found by our 

Random UTM East UTM North

 Point Number 

1 397152 4065726

2 397060 4064925

3 397790 4064321

4 396768 4065301

5 396559 4064866

11 396976 4064367

13 397474 4064189

16 396657 4064642

18 396374 4065119

19 397021 4064420

21 398055 4064493

22 396551 4064459

23 397478 4064643

24 396119 4065132

26 398036 4064100

27 397873 4064429

33 396568 4065130

33B 396371 4065116

34 396999 4064321

37 397940 4064521

38 396929 4064918

Table 1. UTM coordinates (NAD27) of point locations used for 

time area constrained searches and lizard line transects during 

an amphibian and reptile inventory at Manzanar National Historic 

Site, 2002–3. Point number 33B was created in the field, and was 

not part of the original randomly generated list. Point number 

26, which fell outside the MANZ boundary (Figure 1), was not 

included in analysis.
4 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

other methods. These traps consisted simply of clean plastic 18.9 liter (5 gallon) paint buckets buried flush with the 

ground surface, and covered by a piece of plywood raised 2-5 

cm inches off the surface, designed both to attract animals as 

potential refugia and to shade buckets from direct sunlight. 

The traps were not connected by drift fences, as is often done 

in more permanent installations (e.g., Campbell and Christman 

1982, Corn 1994), in order to minimize ground disturbance to 

the historic site and decrease visibility of the traps to visitors. 

When open, we checked these traps at least daily. When not 

in use, we closed the traps with tight fitting plastic lids. UTM 

coordinates for these traps are given in Table 2, and locations 

are shown in Figure 2.

Nighttime Road Driving

Driving slowly on roads at night and carefully scanning 

the road in the headlights of the vehicle is recognized as an 

excellent method for surveying some groups of reptiles, particularly snakes (e.g., Klauber 1939, Mendelson and Jennings 

1992, Rosen and Lowe 1994). This method is also effective for 

surveying amphibians (Shaffer and Juterbock 1994), particularly in the arid southwest where many anuran species are 

seldom active during daytime, but can often be found crossing roads on warm, rainy nights. At MANZ, we were limited 

to surveying the dirt auto tour route and a few associated 

administrative roads, totaling only a few miles of roads within 

Figure 1. Location of random 

points used in TACS and 

lizard line transect surveys 

for amphibians and reptiles at 

Manzanar National Historic 

Site, 2002–3. The southeastern 

most point, outside the MANZ 

boundary, was not included in 

analysis.
5

the historic site. We also occasionally made passes along US 

395 adjacent to MANZ, but this high-speed highway was not 

generally safe for surveying. 

We standardized these surveys by driving a vehicle at 

slow speeds (20-30 km per hour) within MANZ, identifying 

all amphibians and reptiles encountered to species and recording if they were either alive on the road (AOR) or dead on 

the road (DOR), sexing and aging all individuals, as possible, 

and recording locations to the nearest 0.1 mi using calibrated 

vehicle odometers. Locations of selected observations were 

also recorded using GPS.

Spatial Data Collection

Survey area locations were recorded using Garmin® handheldGPS units (GPSIII Plus, Garmin 12, or e-Trex). In addition, 

we recorded individual capture locations of some uncommon 

species. Although the Mojave I&M Network is trying to standardize all spatial data in the NAD83 datum, we used NAD27 in 

order to match the USGS topographic maps of MANZ. As with 

other field data, all spatial data were originally recorded on field 

data sheets (Appendix A) or in field notebooks before being 

entered into the Microsoft Access® database.

Voucher Specimens

We attempted to document the presence of amphibians 

and reptiles at MANZ by collecting at least one individual of 

each species. Specimens were injected with and immersed in 

10% formalin for fixing, then transferred to 55% isopropyl 

alcohol for preservation, using standard techniques (e.g., Simmons 2002). These specimens have been deposited in the natural history collection facility at Death Valley National Park. 

Each specimen has an NPS-issue specimen tag containing 

information on species, collector, date of collection, collection 

site, and NPS (ANCS+) accession and catalog number.

Literature and Museum Specimen Review

Although prior herpetological collecting at MANZ 

is apparently nonexistent, many specimens have been collected from the general region of the central Owens Valley. 

The excellent reviews by Macey and Papenfuss (1991a, b) 

contain both dot distribution maps and specific locality and 

museum data for specimens collected throughout the Owens 

Valley, including in the area of MANZ. This was our primary 

data source for evaluating the possibility of species occurrence at MANZ. We did not duplicate the museum searches 

of Macey and Papenfuss (1991a,b). However, we did query 

the online collection databases of the two primary repositories of southern California material (California Academy of 

Sciences and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology) for amphibians and reptiles collected since the publication of this source 

– i.e., between 1990 and 2003. We also consulted with experts 

familiar with aspects of the herpetofauna in the MANZ region. 

These experts included Ted Papenfuss, Jonathan Richmond, 

and David Wake. Contact information for these experts is 

presented in Appendix B.

Data Analysis

The effectiveness of the different sampling methods was 

evaluated by determining overall species richness and capture 

rate per unit effort for each of the sampling methods. The 

number of species or individuals captured per unit effort was 

calculated by dividing the number captured or sighted by the 

total effort for that method or time period. The amount of sampling effort was measured as number of hours spent on each 

survey multiplied by the number of people per survey (person-hours). Pitfall trap results are given as number of captures 

per trap day (one trap open for one day), and are not directly 

comparable with other methods. 

Lizard line transect data were analyzed according to the 

protocol of Rosen and Lowe (1996), whereby the value of 

interest is the maximum number of each species recorded on 

any given walk of the transect over the course of the survey 

(“peak value”). These values are represented as lizards/100 m 

of transect, facilitating comparison with other studies where 

transect lengths greater than 100 m were used.

To estimate inventory completeness, we developed a 

master list of species documented and potentially occurring at 

MANZ. Based on our expert opinion, probability of species 

occurrence was ranked as low (0-33%), medium (34-67%), or 

high (68-100%). In Table 6 these three rankings are coded as 

1, 2, and 3, respectively. For quantitative analysis, these rankings were converted to the midpoint of their percentage range, 

i.e. 0.17, 0.50, and 0.83. These values were used as weighting factors for species not yet documented. For example, two 

species with rankings of medium probability of occurrence 

would combine to equal one full expected species (0.50 x 

2=1.00 species), whereas six species of low probability of 

occurrence would be required to equal one full expected species (0.17 x 6=1.02 species). Species found by us during the 

Trap number UTM East UTM North EPE (m)

1 396870 4064161 5

2 396876 4064167 5

3 396892 4064160 5

4 396906 4064165 5

5 396915 4064163 5

6 396903 4064362 6

7 396892 4064372 4

8 396926 4064425 4

9 396973 4064454 4

10 397007 4064461 4

Table 2. UTM coordinates (NAD27) of pitfall traps used during 

an amphibian and reptile inventory at Manzanar National Historic 

Site in 2003. Traps 1-5 were located along upper Bairs Creek, and 

traps 6-10 were located ca. 200 m north of there, in blocks 5 and 6.
6 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Figure 2. Location of ten 

amphibian and reptile pitfall 

traps installed at Manzanar 

National Historic Site in 2003.

inventory, or known from previously collected specimens are 

weighted 1.00. Development of this master list was based on 

consultation of selected literature sources (Macey and Papenfuss 1991a, b, Stebbins 1985, 2003), personal knowledge 

of the distribution and habitats of southwestern amphibians 

and reptiles, data from selected museum collections, personal 

communications with other herpetologists that have worked in 

the MANZ region, and results of fieldwork from the 2002–3 

seasons. Such weighting of categorical probability data is generally not recommended for statistical applications; however, 

we feel it justifiable because we are not using the resulting 

inventory completeness estimates for statistical probability or 

hypothesis testing. Instead, we are generating a locally-specific estimate of percent inventory completeness as mandated 

by the NPS I&M program, in a manner that integrates a range 

of information including inventory results, pre-existing information, and professional knowledge. These considerations 

should be kept in mind when interpreting the inventory completeness estimates, and underscore the need to focus on the 

more detailed discussions in the species accounts - especially 

for undocumented species.

In addition to the master list, we produced a species 

accumulation curve (e.g. Scott 1994) to evaluate inventory 

completeness. This curve is simply a graphical representation 
7

of the rate at which we found new species over the course of 

the entire inventory period.

Data and Other Products

Data products delivered separately to the Mojave Inventory and Monitoring Network include 1) a Microsoft Access®

database containing all field data on individual surveys, 

species observations, and site characterization of the random 

plot and lizard line surveys; 2) ArcView® GIS shapefiles of 

random sampling site locations, pitfall trap locations, and 

voucher specimen locations; 3) updates of the NPSpecies and 

NatureBib databases for DEVA, updated both online and using 

the desktop application of NPSpecies; 4) copies of field notes 

and field data sheets; and 5) photographs (35 mm color slides) 

of some survey areas and captured animals. Metadata for this 

inventory is being developed with the assistance of the data 

manager for the Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory and 

Monitoring Network (SCPN). 

Report Review

In addition to NPS review by the Mojave I&M Network 

coordinator and staff at MANZ, this report has undergone 

USGS review in accordance with the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center’s (SBSC) peer review policy. This process consisted of initial policy review by the station leader at 

the Colorado Plateau Research Station and the Center Director 

at SBSC, followed by peer review coordinated by the SBSC 

Center Director.

Results and Discussion

Overview of Inventory Results

We detected ten species of reptiles at MANZ in 2002–3, but 

observed no amphibians. Details of the park-wide distribution 

and habitat associations of each species are found in the species 

accounts (Appendix C). Scientific and common names follow 

Stebbins (2003). Scientific names for all amphibian and reptile 

species mentioned in this report are given in Appendix D.

Within the boundaries of MANZ we recorded 770 individual reptiles that were identified to species, plus about 125 

others (all lizards) that were not seen well enough to determine 

species. Only those 770 individuals positively identified are 

used in analyses. Of these 770 observations, 762 (99%) were 

of lizards, with only eight observations of snakes. The most 

commonly observed species was the Side-blotched Lizard (n 

= 420), accounting for 55% of all observations. The next most 

common species was the Western Whiptail (n = 228), comprising 30% of all observations. Together, these two species 

accounted for 84% of all reptile observations. With the addition of Desert Spiny Lizard (64 observations, 8%) and Zebratailed Lizard (40 observations, 5%), these four lizard species 

comprised 98% of all observations. The numbers of observations of the remaining six species were as follows: Long-nosed 

Leopard Lizard (n = 7), Glossy Snake (n = 3), Coachwhip (n 

= 3), Desert Horned Lizard (n = 2), Gopher Snake (n = 2), and 

Southern Alligator Lizard (n = 1). Numbers of each species 

observed by each method are summarized in Table 3.

Species TACS LL GS NGS PF ND RE Totals

*Long-nosed Leopard Lizard 4 2 1 7

*Zebra-tailed Lizard 2 2 24 2 5 5 40

*Desert Horned Lizard 1 1 2

*Side-blotched Lizard 85 111 202 2 11 7 2 420

*Desert Spiny Lizard 8 6 32 1 10 5 2 64

*Western Whiptail 30 99 87 2 1 9 228

*Southern Alligator Lizard 1 1

*Coachwhip 1 1 1 3

*Glossy Snake 3 3

Gopher Snake 1 1 2

Totals 131 220 348 5 24 23 19 770

Table 3. Amphibian and reptile species documented for Manzanar National Historic Site, and the numbers of each species observed 

by each method during herpetofauna surveys in 2002–3. An asterisk (*) denotes a species represented by a voucher specimen. 

Abbreviations for survey types are: TACS=time-area constrained search 1 ha plots, LL=lizard line transects, GS=general surveys,

NGS=nocturnal general surveys, PF=pitfall traps, ND=night driving surveys, and RE=random encounters.
8 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Literature and Museum Specimen Review

In addition to more general references such as Stebbins 

(1985, 2003), the primary reference used for herpetofauna 

of the Owens Valley (including the region around MANZ) 

was Macy and Papenfuss (1991a, 1991b). Our queries of the 

California Academy of Sciences and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology for specimens collected since the publication 

of Macey and Papenfuss (1991a, b) yielded no records for the 

immediate vicinity of MANZ.

Sampling Effort and Efficacy of Methods

We spent approximately 223 person-hours on surveys 

for amphibians and reptiles at MANZ between March 2002 

and September 2003, and the pitfall traps were open for a 

total of 245 trap days/nights between 24 June and 13 September 2003 (Table 4). We conducted 40 daytime general 

surveys, 3 nocturnal general surveys, 18 TACS surveys, 20 

lizard line surveys, and 38 night drives. At 18 random points, 

both a TACS and lizard line were conducted, usually within 

one day of each other.

The most species detected by a single method was seven, 

on both TACS and night driving surveys. However, most of 

the species found during night driving were common diurnal 

lizards seen shortly before or after sunset. Glossy Snake was 

the only truly nocturnal species observed during these surveys. 

General surveys and lizard lines each produced six species, 

whereas random encounters, pitfall traps, and nocturnal general surveys produced only 5, 4, and 3 species, respectively. 

Examination of Table 3 shows that most species were common 

to all of the three primary daytime methods (TACS, lizard 

lines, general surveys), and the differences are the result of 

encounters of uncommonly observed species (Desert Horned 

Lizard, Coachwhip, Gopher Snake). That single observations of these species occurred using one or the other of these 

three methods is likely the result of chance. More telling is 

examination of the evenness of species observations within 

these three methods. Because locations of TACS and lizard 

lines were randomly chosen, observations are weighted toward 

the most common species that are distributed throughout the 

park (Side-blotched Lizard and Western Whiptail), and these 

methods recorded relatively few of the other two most abundant species (Zebra-tailed Lizard and Desert Spiny Lizard), 

which, although common, have a more patchy distribution 

within MANZ. Zebra-tailed Lizards occur in the open, sandy 

habitats at MANZ, while Desert Spiny Lizards are much more 

abundant in the riparian areas. Zebra-tailed lizards, in particular, were largely missed by the random point-based surveys. 

Although a combination of methods is always desirable during 

a species inventory, used alone general surveys would have 

given us the best overall picture of both the occurrence and 

habitat distribution of lizards at MANZ.

Overall, TACS found more individuals per person-hour 

of surveying (6.7) than the other methods (5.3 for general 

surveys, 4.1 for lizard lines, 1.3 for nocturnal general surveys, 

and 0.3 for night driving). This is likely because TACS were 

generally conducted during peak morning lizard activity times. 

In addition, the focus of TACS were to observe and record 

every lizard on the plot, whereas general surveys were often 

conducted in specific habitats (e.g., riparian thickets) searching for new species, sometimes in microhabitats containing 

fewer lizards overall than the shrub habitats dominated by the 

common desert lizard species. 

Most animals found during night driving surveys were 

common diurnal lizards seen shortly before or after sunset. 

Only four snakes were found during these surveys (three live 

Glossy Snakes and one dead Coachwhip), for an encounter 

rate of 0.48 snakes/100 km of driving. Considering only live 

snakes (i.e., not counting the one dead Coachwhip), the resulting encounter rate decreases to 0.36 snakes/100 km This low 

rate is likely due to both dry conditions during our inventory, 

and the fact that roads within MANZ are not paved, which 

contribute to decreased visibility of snakes on the road, especially small individuals. In addition, dirt roads do not retain 

heat as well as paved surfaces, and thus may not be as attractive to reptiles for basking at night. Other studies to report 

these figures include Rosen and Lowe (1996), who recorded 

0.67 live snakes/100 km at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and Persons (2001), who recorded 0.94 live snakes/100 

km at Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. At a concurrent 

inventory at Death Valley National Park just east of MANZ 

(unpublished data), we found 0.62 live snakes/100 km driven 

during night driving surveys, similar to Rosen and Lowe 

General 

Surveys Lizard Lines TACS plots

Nocturnal 

General 

Surveys

Night Drives Pitfall Traps Random 

Encounters

Number of

Surveys 40 20 18 3 38 245 trap days 6

Total Person-Hours 65.2 54.0 19.6 3.8 80.6 N/A N/A

Table 4. Number of discrete surveys and total person-hours of each method allocated during an inventory of amphibians and reptiles 

at Manzanar National Historic Site in 2002–3.
9

(1996). On the other hand, an earlier study in the Mojave 

Desert that quantified results in a similar manner was that of 

Klauber (1939), who recorded 5.8 live snakes/100 km in the 

Anza-Borrego Desert region. Future night driving surveys at 

MANZ should target warm, humid nights, especially after 

summer rainstorms.

The ten pitfall traps installed midway through the 2003 

season caught 24 individuals, or 0.1 lizards per trap day, a trap 

success rate comparable to areas in northern Arizona (personal 

observation). Installing and operating pitfall traps is labor 

intensive, which is why we did not do so at the beginning of 

this inventory, and they captured predominantly common species. Importantly, however, this technique did capture the only 

individual of Southern Alligator Lizard observed during this 

inventory. Capture of rare or secretive species is known to be a 

particular benefit of using pitfall traps (Campbell and Christman 1982); however, these bonuses are often obtained only 

after hundreds of hours of trapping effort.

We conducted lizard line surveys in order to compare 

them with TACS plot surveys for use as an inventory method, 

but more importantly to evaluate their possible utility in a 

long-term monitoring program at MANZ. Total numbers of 

each species observed during lizard line surveys are presented 

in Table 3, and peak values (maximum number observed on a 

single walk of the transect over the course of the survey) for 

each species on each survey, as well as means and standard 

deviations, are presented in Table 5. Although lizard lines 

recorded similar numbers of species (six) as TACS (seven), 

they were more time and labor intensive, and are therefore better suited to long-term monitoring than inventory. 

Only two species were observed on lizard lines in sufficient numbers for meaningful analysis, and these were the 

two most common species overall (Side-blotched Lizard and 

Western Whiptail). Because few random points fell within 

either densely treed sections (such as along Bairs Creek) or 

in the sandy habitats west of the cemetery area, we recorded 

relatively few Desert Spiny Lizards and Zebra-tailed Lizards, 

respectively, on the lizard lines. Overall, peak values (± S.D.) 

of Side-blotched Lizard and Western Whiptail observed/100 

m averaged 2.65 (± 3.54) and 2.05 (± 1.86), respectively. If 

we remove survey #38, with 16 Side-blotched Lizards (mostly 

young of the year), the mean for that species decreases to 

2.26 (±1.97). Peak values for all species are improved if only 

morning surveys are included (Table 5). While these figures 

may appear low, they are comparable to figures from Organ 

Pipe Cactus National Monument’s (ORPI) lizard line monitoring data. Rosen (2000) summarized ten years of lizard line 

data from ORPI, where 21 permanent transects run twice/year 

produced annual mean peak values (lizards/100 m) of 1.61 for 

Side-blotched Lizard, and 2.55 for whiptails (mostly Western 

Whiptail), as well as 0.70 for Zebra-tailed Lizard. Over these 

21 transects run twice/year (once in spring, once in summer), these magnitudes of peak values have been adequate for 

detecting changes in population sizes in response to fluctuations in precipitation and possible concomitant changes in 

predation pressure (Rosen 2000).

Estimate of Inventory Completeness

Based on our surveys at MANZ in 2002–3, and evaluation of potential occurrence of undocumented species, we 

estimate an overall inventory completeness of 50% (Table 6). 

Inventory Completeness of Different Taxa 

Groups

Using the same weighting methods and data from Table 

6, we calculated that overall estimated inventory completeness for amphibians is 0% and for reptiles is 54% (78% for 

lizards and 23% for snakes). The relatively high success rate 

for lizards is likely because most lizard species are diurnal 

and conspicuous, and our efforts were biased towards daytime 

searches that easily detect such species. Many snake species are primarily nocturnal and are extremely secretive in 

their habits, so a low success rate for snakes is not surprising. 

However, the single most important factor limiting our success 

Transect # A.M. or

 P.M.

Sideblotched 

Lizard

Western 

Whiptail

Desert 

Spiny

 Lizard

Zebratailed

 Lizard

1 Both 1 5

2 P.M. 2

3 P.M.

4 A.M. 5 8 1

5 P.M. 1 3

11 A.M. 1

13 A.M. 1

16 A.M. 5 1

18 P.M. 1 1

19 P.M. 3 1

21 A.M. 1 1

22 A.M. 2 1

23 P.M. 1

24 A.M. 1 2

27 A.M. 2 1

33 A.M. 5 3

33B A.M. 3 3 1

34 A.M. 5 2

37 A.M. 2 4 1

38 A.M. 16 1

Total 20 53 41 3 1

Mean 2.65 2.05 0.15 0.05

S.D. 3.54 1.86 0.36 0.22

Mean A.M. (N=13) 3.46 2.31 0.23 0.08

Mean P.M. (N=6) 1.17 1.33 0 0

Table 5. Peak values of lizards observed on line transects 

at Manzanar National Historic Site in 2002–3. The peak value 

represents the greatest number of a given species observed on 

a single walk of the transect over the course of the survey. One 

survey (#1), which was conducted from mid-morning until early 

afternoon, was not used in calculating the means for morning 

(A.M.) or afternoon (P.M.) surveys. Not included here are two 

observations of snakes, one each of Coachwhip and Gopher Snake. 
10 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Species Rank NPSpecies Park Status NPSpecies Abundance

Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps sp.) 1 Unconfirmed

Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander N/A

Great Basin Spadefoot 3 Probably Present

Western Toad 1 Unconfirmed

Pacific Treefrog 1 Unconfirmed

Common Chuckwalla N/A

Great Basin Collared Lizard 1 Unconfirmed

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard SX Present in Park Uncommon

Zebra-tailed Lizard SX Present in Park Common

Desert Horned Lizard SX Present in Park Uncommon

Side-blotched Lizard SX Present in Park Abundant

Western Fence Lizard 1 Unconfirmed

Desert Spiny Lizard SX Present in Park Common

Sagebrush Lizard 1 Unconfirmed

Western Skink 1 Unconfirmed

Western Whiptail SX Present in Park Abundant

Southern Alligator Lizard SX Present in Park Unknown

Western Banded Gecko 3 Probably Present

Desert Night Lizard 2 Unconfirmed

Coachwhip SX Present in Park Common

Ring-necked Snake 1 Unconfirmed

Common Kingsnake 3 Probably Present

Long-nosed Snake 3 Probably Present

Western Patch-nosed Snake 3 Probably Present

Western Ground Snake 3 Probably Present

Glossy Snake SX Present in Park Common

Gopher Snake OX Present in Park Common

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake 1 Unconfirmed

Sierra Garter Snake N/A

Night Snake 3 Probably Present

Southwestern Black-headed Snake 3 Probably Present

Speckled Rattlesnake 3 Probably Present

Sidewinder 2 Unconfirmed

TOTAL RANK 1 9

TOTAL RANK 2 2

TOTAL RANK 3 9

TOTAL FOUND (SX, OX, SP, OP) 10

WEIGHTED TOTAL 20.0

ESTIMATED INVENTORY COMPLETENESS 50.0%

Table 6. All amphibian and reptile species found or expected to occur at Manzanar National Historic Site (MANZ). Ranking of 

probability of species occurrences is as follows: 1 = low probability, 2 = medium probability, and 3 = high probability. SX = specimen 

collected, this study. OX = species observed, this study. Weighted total is equivalent to the total number of species expected to 

occur, and estimated inventory completeness is simply the number documented (SX, SP, OX, or OP) divided by the weighted total. For 

completeness, all species included as hypothetical in the species accounts (Appendix C) are included here, but those species with 

essentially zero chance of occurring at MANZ are indicated under rank as N/A. For all species, NPSpecies checklist fields for residency 

and nativity are “resident” and “native,” respectively.
11

finding snakes at MANZ is the lack of extensive networks of 

paved roads within the historic site. Based on data from our 

own studies in Arizona, nighttime road surveys on paved roads 

are by far the most effective method for detecting both amphibians and snakes. For example, at Petrified Forest National Park 

(Drost et al. 2000, 2001) and Wupatki National Monument 

(Persons and Nowak 2006, Persons 2001) the combination of 

general daytime foot surveys for lizards and nighttime road surveys for amphibians and snakes resulted in an overall estimated 

inventory completeness of >90% (unpublished data).

Evaluation of Inventory Completeness Through 

Species Accumulation

A species accumulation curve (plotted per survey day) 

for 2002–3 MANZ data is shown in Figure 3. The asymptotic 

curve in Figure 3 suggests that we are close to detecting all 

the species present at MANZ. However, because our master 

list estimate of inventory completeness is only 50%, this is 

probably a false asymptote, and may only indicate that we 

have detected most of the common species using our current methods. The remaining undetected species may require 

proportionately greater effort and/or different field methods to 

detect. Similarly, an asymptotic curve shown after two seasons 

at some SCPN parks (Nowak et al. 2003) is also misleading, 

as we were in fact not very close to detecting 90% of the species at most of these parks. Species accumulation curves can 

be valid estimators of inventory completeness in situations 

involving large numbers of species, extensive survey periods, 

and a wide variety of field methods (e.g., Scott 1994). However, at MANZ, given our small sample sizes, limited field 

methods, and knowledge of the habitats and local distribution 

of potential species, we believe the master list approach provides a more precise estimate of inventory completeness.

Rare, Exotic, or Sensitive Species

None of the species we documented from MANZ could 

be considered rare or otherwise of special management 

concern. In fact, most species at MANZ are widespread and 

abundant throughout much of the Southwest. The Southern 

Alligator Lizard is apparently rare at MANZ, but is common 

just upslope the Sierra Nevada foothills to the west, and is 

abundant in many other areas, including suburban habitats 

in coastal southern California. The non-native Bullfrog has 

been introduced into the Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 

1991a), but requires permanent water not found at MANZ.

Specimens Collected

We collected nine reptile specimens at MANZ in 2002–3. 

A complete list of these specimens and associated collection 

and cataloging data is found in Table 7, and a map showing 

collection locations is presented in Figure 4. All of these specimens are deposited in the natural history collection facility at 

Death Valley National Park (DEVA). Of the ten species that 

we observed during this inventory, only the Gopher Snake was 

not collected. Specimens were collected under research permit 

number DEVA-2002-SCI-0010, and cataloged under accession 

number MANZ-00037.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

159 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57

Survey Days

Cumulative # of Species

Figure 3. Species 

accumulation curve for 

amphibians and reptiles at 

Manzanar National Historic 

Site, 2002–3. The vertical line 

separates 2002 from 2003 

surveys.
12 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Update of NPSpecies and NatureBib Databases

Prior to this project, no information on amphibians and reptiles at MANZ had been entered in either the 

NPSpecies or NatureBib databases. In 2004 we added 

entries for the ten species we documented during this 

inventory, and in 2005 we added those species considered “probably present” (Table 6) to the online NPSpecies database. We added only species entries into the 

NPSpecies database, i.e., we did not include subspecies. 

We also added the only two relevant bibliographic references (Macey and Papenfuss 1991a, b) to the NatureBib 

database, and linked each species in NPSpecies to these 

references. Voucher specimen data were also added to the 

NPSpecies online database. The MANZ NPSpecies checklist field data was certified in early 2004.

Figure 4. Locations of 

collection of amphibian and 

reptile voucher specimens at 

Manzanar National Historic 

Site, 2002–3.
13

Biogeography of the Manzanar Herpetofauna

The Owens Valley encompasses a broad transition zone 

between Great Basin Desert and Mojave Desert habitats, and 

this is reflected in the herpetofauna of the MANZ region. 

Macey and Papenfuss (1991a, b) analyzed the biogeography of 

the herpetofauna of the entire White-Inyo Mountains region, 

including Owens Valley, and allocated all amphibian and reptile species into southern, northern, western, endemic, or wideranging groups. Of the ten species we documented at MANZ 

during this inventory, the Southern Alligator lizard is a western 

species, the Glossy Snake is a southern species, and the 

remaining eight species are wide-ranging. However, among 

the nine undocumented species most likely to occur at MANZ 

(i.e., those ranked as a “3” in Table 6), five are wide-ranging (Night Snake, Common Kingsnake, Long-nosed Snake, 

Western Patch-nosed Snake, Western Ground Snake), three are 

southern (Western Banded Gecko, Southwestern Black-headed 

Snake, Speckled Rattlesnake), and only one is northern (Great 

Basin Spadefoot). The majority of documented or probable species at MANZ are either southern or wide-ranging, 

suggesting an overall southern affinity for the herpetofauna. 

However, many northern species do occur in the Owens Valley 

as far south as MANZ, but are restricted to more aquatic habitats (e.g., Western Toad, Pacific Treefrog, Western Terrestrial 

Garter Snake). While MANZ contains elements of different regional herpetofaunas due to its location within a broad 

habitat transition zone (Owens Valley), the predominance of 

southern and wide-ranging species is most likely due to its 

local position within the valley itself, rather than its southerly 

latitude. Because MANZ has a moderate elevation, it supports 

a number of southern and wide-ranging desert-adapted species 

(e.g., Zebra-tailed Lizard, Desert Horned Lizard, Desert Spiny 

Lizard, Western Whiptail, Glossy Snake) not found further 

upslope in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range directly to 

the west of the site. In addition, MANZ is located away from 

the bottom of the Owens Valley (Owens River), and therefore 

lacks aquatic habitats utilized by many northern species in the 

region.

Anthropogenic factors may also contribute to the current 

distribution of reptiles and amphibians in the Manzanar area. 

The intensive and concentrated human use of Manzanar during 

its tenure as an internment camp during World War II may 

play a role in the current distribution of species at the site, as 

Field 

Number

NPS 

Catalog 

Number

Species Date Collector Location UTM Notes

TBP 162 MANZ 3312 Desert Spiny 

Lizard

3/28/02 TBP Upper Bairs Creek 396633E

4064170N

Juvenile female, 56 mm 

SVL

TBP 163 MANZ 3313 Long-nosed 

Leopard Lizard

3/28/02 TBP, DJM, SH, 

LMC, EMN

Ca. 100 m N of upper Bairs Creek 396700E

4064199N

82 mm SVL

TBP 184 MANZ 3314 Side-blotched 

Lizard

6/11/02 TBP Upper Bairs Creek, near SW corner 

of historic site

396271E

4064010N

EPE 7m

Adult female

TBP 185 MANZ 3315 Zebra-tailed Lizard 6/11/02 TBP Just S of cemetery 396128E

4064719N

EPE 4m

Immature male

TBP 196 MANZ 3316 Desert Horned 

Lizard

6/22/02 SH Vicinity of cemetery. UTM 

extrapolated between UTM’s 

396196E /4065105N (EPE 4m) and 

396196E/4065088N (EPE 6m)

396196E

4065097N

Adult male

TBP 270 MANZ 3317 Glossy Snake 8/28/02 SH On auto tour route ca. 0.2 mi. SE of 

cemetery

396437E

4064866N

Immatture, AOR

TBP 286 MANZ 3318 Coachwhip 5/25/03 SH Auto tour route (B Street), vicinity of 

Block 14

397066E

4065623N

DOR, small adult, frozen prior to preservation

TBP 287 MANZ 3319 Western Whiptail 6/10/03 SH, TBP Just N of upper Bairs Creek 396762E

4064170N

EPE 4m

Adult

TBP 314 MANZ 3320 Southern Alligator 

Lizard

8/24/03 SH Under coverboard of pitfall trap #5, 

along upper Bairs Creek

396915E

4064163N

EPE 5m

Hatchling, 39 mm SVL. 

Fixed in 95% ethanol, 

transferred to 55% 

isopropyl

Table 7. Amphibian and reptile specimens collected at Manzanar National Historic Site in 2002–3. Collector initials are: EMN (Erika M. 

Nowak), TBP (Trevor B. Persons), SH (Scott Hillard), LMC (Laura M. Cunningham), and DJM (David J. Morafka). Specimens are housed 

in the natural history collection facility at Death Valley National Park, and were collected under accession number MANZ-00037. Field 

numbers of all specimens, regardless of collector, are cataloged in the field catalog of Trevor B. Persons. UTM coordinates are in the 

North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27).
14 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

some species could have been locally extirpated during this 

occupation. Extensive habitat changes stemming from modifications of the hydrology of the valley have occurred since that 

period, as a result of damming and diversion of local water 

sources. For example, although Bairs Creek was likely never 

a perennial stream, water flow was less intermittent and more 

dependable prior to upstream water diversions and lowered 

ground water levels (Frank Hays, MANZ Superintendent, 

personal communication). Species such as garter snakes and 

some amphibians may have occurred previously at MANZ, but 

may now be unable to recolonize the site from remnant Owens 

Valley populations due to lack of suitable habitat.

Considerations for Future Inventory 

Work and Long-term Monitoring

Future Inventory Work

Given our level of effort and a resultant overall estimated 

inventory completeness of only 50%, reaching the goal of 90% 

inventory completeness by the end of this project would have 

required a shift in methodology and/or a substantial increase in 

the amount of time spent in the field. Because we were interested in evaluating TACS and lizard line transect surveys for 

possible use as long-term monitoring methods, and because of 

a desire to conduct these surveys at random locations within 

MANZ, we may have reduced our ability to detect the full 

range of species present. These surveys by their nature primarily detected common, conspicuous species that are distributed 

across the landscape, such as Side-blotched Lizard and Western Whiptail. While some form of standardized methodology 

is required in a monitoring program, such methods are not 

necessary for species inventories, and their increased labor 

diverts available time away from more productive, targeted 

searches for rare species. As a result, targeted herpetological collecting techniques are far superior if compilation of a 

species list is the primary goal of a project (e.g., Campbell and 

Christman 1982, Karns 1986, Scott 1994, Turner et al. 1999).

Although we did establish solid baseline data on species occurrence of lizards at MANZ, more inventory work is 

needed to establish such a baseline for amphibians and snakes. 

Surveying during wetter periods will be the most important 

factor in documenting the amphibian fauna. Surveying under 

surface objects in late winter or spring when the ground is 

damp (as after a winter of above average precipitation), especially along Bairs Creek, may turn up salamanders. Similarly, 

locating temporary pools after heavy spring or summer rains 

may be needed to detect Great Basin Spadefoots. For snakes, 

prolonged wetter conditions would undoubtedly help to 

increase both surface activity and population sizes of many 

species. Greatly increased pitfall trapping would likely detect 

some small, secretive snake species (e.g., Western Ground 

Snake, Night Snake, Southwestern Black-headed Snake). In 

addition, strategic placement of artificial cover, such as large 

sheets of roofing tin, could also help detect these species (e.g., 

Fellers and Drost 1994). Although we only recorded two snake 

species during road cruising surveys, this method is time- and 

cost-efficient, and should be continued in an effort to detect 

snake species, most of which are at least partly nocturnal in 

mid-summer at MANZ.

Given the <90% completeness of the herpetofauna inventory at MANZ, the NPS may wish to fund additional inventory 

work in order to establish a more complete baseline of species 

occurrence. It may be preferable to design a long-term monitoring program such that the percentage of effort allocated to 

inventory decreases over time, while the percentage of monitoring increases, until a solid baseline of species occurrence 

exists. It should be noted that inventory and monitoring are not 

mutually exclusive endeavors. In fact, many methods designed 

to monitor more inclusive subsets of the herpetofauna community (e.g., road driving surveys for snakes) are the same 

ones used for inventory. Thus, a well-rounded monitoring 

program that focuses on each major subset of the herpetofauna 

(i.e., amphibians, lizards, snakes) will monitor not only the 

population status of particular focal species within each group 

(e.g., Side-blotched and Western Whiptail for lizards), but may 

simultaneously monitor the amphibian and reptile community 

as a whole, and in the process will document new species and 

lead toward a more complete baseline of species occurrence.

New species will also be documented opportunistically. 

Observations and/or collections by NPS staff can be invaluable 

in these efforts, especially for uncommon or secretive species 

that are generally undetected during periodic, short duration 

visits to the site by researchers. Now that solid baseline data 

exists on occurrence of common species at MANZ, help of 

interested staff and volunteers can more easily be directed 

towards documenting suspected species. Road killed animals 

should be salvaged and placed in the freezer until they can be 

properly preserved. These specimens should be double or triple 

bagged in plastic zip-loc or similar bags, with an effort made 

to squeeze excess air out of the bags, and complete collection 

data (date, collector, and precise location, preferably with UTM 

coordinates) included in the bags with the specimens. 

Long-term Monitoring

Although we suggest additional inventory work in order 

to reach a satisfactory level of inventory completeness, some 

results from this project can be used in guiding a monitoring program at MANZ. Based on our results, monitoring of 

amphibians or snakes would clearly be difficult. For these 

groups, initial work should focus on increased inventory 

efforts, in order to establish a baseline of species occurrence.

For lizards, however, this inventory has established a 

baseline of species occurrence, and has furthermore identified 

the dominant species and their general habitat associations 

within the historic site. Side-blotched Lizards and Western 
15

Whiptails were found to be common in all habitats throughout 

the site, whereas Zebra-tailed Lizards and Desert Spiny Lizards were largely confined to open, sandy areas and riparian 

and other wooded habitats, respectively. In addition, we have 

established a baseline for Side-blotched Lizard and Western 

Whiptail on both TACS plots and lizard line transect surveys. 

Because lizard lines (Rosen and Lowe 1995, 1996; this study) 

use the peak value for a transect walk during a survey as the 

metric for analysis, they help correct for differences in lizard 

activity throughout the survey period. In addition, because 

they are linear, and only one walk of the transect is used in the 

analysis (per species), they avoid double counting, which is 

a potential problem in using TACS as a monitoring method. 

However, if monitoring funding is limited, TACS may yield 

more observations at more sample points throughout MANZ 

than lizard lines for a given amount of available field time, and 

may provide a better overall “snapshot” of lizard numbers at 

the site. Time-recorded general surveys would provide similar 

data on observations per survey hour, and would be the most 

cost effective method of the three.

Swann (1999), using transect methods of Rosen and 

Lowe (1996), used power analysis to evaluate the amount of 

effort required to detect changes in populations of common 

lizard species at Tonto National Monument, Arizona, which is 

similar in size (441 ha) to MANZ. He concluded that the effort 

needed to detect trends in even the most abundant species 

would be prohibitive for a small park like Tonto. For example, 

he determined that detecting a 2% annual decline over 10 

years in the two most common lizard species would require 

120 person-days of fieldwork annually. Based on these results, 

he suggested that monitoring of species richness and related 

parameters (e.g., species diversity), which he estimated would 

require much less effort, may be more appropriate for monitoring programs in national parks. However, common desert 

lizards have been successfully monitored for over a decade 

at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona (ORPI) 

using line transect methods with only about 40 person-days 

of fieldwork annually (Rosen 2000). Before implementation 

of a monitoring program at MANZ, a pilot study should be 

conducted in order to estimate the number of sites and surveys 

that will be needed to generate sample sizes adequate for statistical analysis of trends.

It is also clear from our data that monitoring of uncommon species, which are often of interest as potential “vital 

signs” of ecosystem health, would be extremely difficult in 

most cases, simply because they are so difficult to locate at all. 

Furthermore, while some uncommon or restricted species may 

be of interest to monitor for their own sake, it is unlikely these 

species can be used as “vital signs” of ecosystem integrity. 

For these reasons, we propose that monitoring should encompass communities of species (in this case diurnal lizards), and 

focus especially on the most common species (i.e., Sideblotched Lizard and Western Whiptail). Lizards, which are 

relatively sedentary, usually show relatively rapid and substantial population responses to fluctuations in precipitation 

and concomitant variation in primary productivity at a site. 

For this reason, common diurnal desert lizards have been the 

centerpiece of herpetofauna monitoring at Organ Pipe Cactus 

National Monument for over a decade (Rosen 2000, Rosen 

and Lowe 1996). Careful placement of permanent lizard lines 

at MANZ could also include Zebra-tailed Lizard and Desert 

Spiny Lizard, two common species underrepresented on our 

transect surveys. Finally, our lizard line transects were only 

100 m long, in order to stay within the bounds of the 1 ha 

TACS plots. However, we would recommend establishing 

longer permanent transects, which would be more efficient 

for maximizing data collection. Random placement of transects would allow statistical inference of results to the entire 

park. However, non-random placement of transects based on 

habitat and preliminary results of lizard distribution from our 

inventory would allow for maximization of sample sizes and 

inclusion of patchily distributed target species (e.g., Zebratailed Lizard). In addition, non-random placement of transects 

would minimize interference with operations of the historic 

site. Based on comparison with Rosen (2000), whose peak 

values for common lizard species were similar to ours, we 

recommend establishing 10-12 lizard lines (200-300 m long) 

at MANZ, and running these transects twice annually, in late 

spring and again in mid-summer.

In summary, we recommend a two-pronged approach 

to the initiation of long-term monitoring of amphibians and 

reptiles at MANZ. First, if adequate funding is available, we 

recommend establishment of permanent lizard line transects 

(Rosen and Lowe 1995, 1996) to monitor the community 

of common, diurnal lizard species. Second, we recommend 

increased inventory work, directed at establishing a baseline 

of species occurrence of amphibians and snakes. Given the 

difficulty in detecting amphibians and snakes at MANZ, this 

may take several years. One approach, advanced by Swann 

(1999), would be to conduct periodic (e.g., every five years or 

more) complete species inventories, which would aid in the 

ultimate goal of completion or near completion of the species 

list, and simultaneously serve as general monitoring of overall 

diversity. These repeated inventories could strike a balance 

between allocating effort to finding new species (inventory) 

and assessing diversity and abundance of common, widespread 

species (monitoring).

Acknowledgements

This research was made possible through funding from 

the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program, 

facilitated by Rod Parnell and Ron Hiebert through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) at Northern Arizona 

University. The work would have been much more difficult 

without the sponsorship, excellent coordination, and encouragement of the Mojave I&M network coordinator Kristina 

Heister. Frank Hays, John Slaughter, Misty Knight, and Bob 

Clyde at MANZ were helpful and encouraging throughout the 

project, and the 2003 summer YCC work crew at MANZ was 
16 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

instrumental in the quick installation and occasional checking of our pitfall traps. Craig Palmer, data manager for the 

Mojave I&M network, was extremely helpful with numerous 

data management aspects of the study, and Joe Hutcheson 

and Mark Sappington of Lake Mead National Recreation 

Area prepared the maps. Additionally, Nicole Tancreto, data 

manager for the Southern Colorado Plateau I&M network 

(SCPN) allowed us to use the database developed for amphibian and reptile inventories in the SCPN, and tolerated our 

frequent data management questions. Dick Anderson and Blair 

Davenport of Death Valley National Park helped with research 

permits and specimen deposition, respectively. Marie Saul of 

the Colorado Plateau Research Station (CPRS) helped manage 

this and other seemingly unmanageable project budgets. Dave 

Morafka and Laura Cunningham helped us catch our first lizard at MANZ. Ted Papenfuss, Jon Richmond, and David Wake 

graciously provided information on the distribution of some 

species in the MANZ region. Charles Drost (CPRS), Denny 

Fenn (Southwest Biological Science Center), Kristina Heister, 

Mark Sogge (CPRS), and Dale Turner (Arizona Nature Conservancy) made many valuable comments on an earlier version 

of this report.

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Unit, University of Arizona, Tucson.

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Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson.
18 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California
19

Appendix A. Data Form 

Figure A-1. Data form (following two pages) developed for herpetofauna TACS plots in the Southern Colorado Plateau I&M Network, 

and also used at Manzanar National Historic Site for both TACS and lizard line surveys. There are two pages, meant to be photocopied 

back to back.
20 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Figure A-1. Data form (following two pages) developed for herpetofauna TACS plots in the Southern Colorado Plateau I&M Network, 

and also used at Manzanar National Historic Site for both TACS and lizard line surveys. There are two pages, meant to be photocopied 

back to back.—Continued 
21

Appendix B. Contact Information for Experts Consulted 

Theodore J. Papenfuss, Ph. D. (salamanders)

Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

University of California

Berkeley, California, 94720

e-mail: asiaherp@uclink4.berkeley.edu

Jonathan Richmond (skinks)

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut, 06269

e-mail: jonathan.richmond@uconn.edu

Dr. David Wake (salamanders)

Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

University of California

Berkeley, California, 94720

e-mail: wakelab@berkeley.edu
22 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California
23

The following is an annotated list of amphibians and 

reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, including all 

documented and hypothetical species. Because we do not have 

data on population sizes or density of species at MANZ, the 

use of the terms abundant, common, uncommon, and rare (the 

available abundance categories in NPSpecies) are necessarily 

somewhat subjective. They are designed to describe the relative abundance of a particular species, compared with other, 

similar species at MANZ, and also with the same species 

elsewhere throughout its range. Status of all documented and 

hypothetical species at MANZ, as well as NPSpecies checklist 

field assignments, are presented in Table 6. 

Species Documented from Manzanar National 

Historic Site

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)

Long-nosed Leopard Lizards prefer relatively flat ground 

with widely spaced shrubs for cover, where they often lie in 

wait to ambush smaller lizard prey. We observed seven individuals of this species at MANZ, and consider it be uncommon. It is probably found in all open habitats at MANZ.

Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)

This species is common in the open, sandy, shrubby 

portions of MANZ, particularly west of the developed part of 

the site where native vegetation (especially saltbush) is well 

represented. Zebra-tailed Lizards could easily be found in the 

vicinity of the cemetery. 

Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)

We only recorded two Desert Horned Lizards during our 

survey. This cryptic species is probably more abundant than 

our observations suggest, however we still consider it uncommon at MANZ.

Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)

This was the most frequently observed species at MANZ, 

accounting for half of all observations. It was usually found on 

the ground or perched on small rocks, and was abundant in all 

habitats throughout the historic site. 

Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)

Apparently the only spiny lizard (Sceloporus) at 

MANZ, this species was common wherever three-dimensional habitat (trees, dilapidated edificarian structures) was 

present. It was most common in the cottonwood groves 

along Bairs Creek and in the wooded areas in the central 

part of the historic site.

Western Whiptail (Cnemidophorus tigris)

This was the second most frequently observed species, 

after the Side-blotched Lizard. Whiptails were abundant in all 

habitats throughout MANZ.

Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)

We caught one juvenile of this species under a pitfall 

trap cover board along Bairs Creek in 2003. Although fairly 

secretive, the fact that we searched specifically for this species 

along Bairs Creek throughout this inventory and only found 

one individual suggests it is rare at MANZ. 

Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)

Although we only observed three individual Coachwhips 

during our inventory, it nonetheless tied (with Glossy Snake) 

for the most frequently observed snake species. This widespread lizard eating species is probably common in all habitats 

throughout MANZ.

Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans)

This species is at the northern edge of its local 

distribution in the Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 

1991b). We found three Glossy Snakes during this inventory. This species is usually nocturnal, and prefers loose 

substrates for burrowing. Glossy Snakes are probably 

common at MANZ.

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer)

Although we only observed two individual Gopher 

Snakes during this inventory, this widespread generalist 

species is probably common in all habitats throughout 

MANZ.

Appendix C. Annotated List of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National 

Historic Site
24 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Species That Possibly Occur at Manzanar 

National Historic Site

Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps sp.)

Although it is remotely possible that an undiscovered 

population or species of slender salamander could be found 

along Bairs Creek at MANZ (David Wake, personal communication), they are much more likely to be found in more mesic 

situations further upslope in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander 

(Hydromantes sp.)

Although informally (it is still undescribed) given the 

Owens Valley namesake (Macey and Papenfuss 1991a), the 

species is found at higher elevations in streams along the 

eastern Sierra Nevada, and is highly unlikely at MANZ (Ted 

Papenfuss, personal communication).

Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)

This species probably occurs at MANZ, but sufficient 

spring or summer rains (producing temporary pools, which this 

species uses for breeding) will likely be needed to detect it.

Western Toad (Bufo boreas)

This species may occur in the MANZ area, but our failure 

to detect it during the late spring of 2002 and 2003 when Bairs 

Creek was flowing suggests it may not occur at MANZ. Bairs 

Creek alternates between a dry streambed most of the year, 

and a fast flowing, narrow stream in late spring and early summer, and at least in 2002–3 did not provide sufficient slow or 

stagnant backwater pools that would allow Western Toads to 

breed successfully.

Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)

This species occurs along the Owens River east of 

MANZ (TBP, personal observation), but our failure to detect 

it suggests it probably does not occur at MANZ. Similar to 

the Western Toad, lack of slow or stagnant water along Bairs 

Creek probably prevents establishment of Pacific Treefrogs 

within MANZ. Many herpetologists now place this species 

with the chorus frogs in the genus Pseudacris.

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus obesus)

Although some range maps (e.g., Stebbins 1985, 2003) 

suggest the Chuckwalla could occur at MANZ, there is virtually no chance that it does. MANZ lacks the extensive rocky 

habitats used by this large herbivorous lizard. The nearest 

known population is in the Alabama Hills south of MANZ 

(Macey and Papenfuss 1991b).

Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus 

bicinctores)

Habitat in certain areas within MANZ look adequate to 

support collared lizards, particularly the rocky areas along 

upper Bairs Creek, and the open, bouldery area in the southwest corner of the monument. However, our failure to detect 

this conspicuous species suggests that it may be absent. 

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

We did not observe this usually conspicuous lizard at 

MANZ. Although Western Fence Lizards occur in the Owens 

Valley, particularly in the pinyon-juniper zone in the foothills 

(Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), the presence of the ecologically similar desert spiny lizard suggests that it is absent from 

MANZ.

Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)

The Sagebrush Lizard does not generally show much 

ecological overlap with the other two spiny lizards, and it is 

typically found at higher elevations (especially in pinyon-juniper woodland) in the region. Although elsewhere it is sometimes found in lower elevation shrub habitats (e.g., Petrified 

Forest National Park, Arizona; Drost et al. 2001), our failure to 

detect this diurnal species suggests it is probably absent from 

MANZ. Although not widely distributed within the Owens 

Valley itself, Macey and Papenfuss (1991b) report a specimen from four miles north of Lone Pine, probably from the 

foothills of the Inyo Mountains.

Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus)

Although usually found at higher elevations and in more 

mesic habitats in the Owens Valley area, this species may 

possibly occur at MANZ (Jonathan Richmond, personal communication), probably along Bairs Creek. If skinks do occur 

at MANZ, they are more likely to be this species (versus the 

similar Gilbert’s skink Eumeces gilberti), because the Western 

Skink does occur in the eastern foothills of the Sierras just 

west of MANZ (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b).

Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)

Although usually most abundant in rocky habitats, this 

species probably occurs at MANZ. Our failure to locate it 

during cover flipping surveys suggests it is at least uncommon, 

although the lack of paved roads within MANZ probably contributed most to our failure to find this small, nocturnal lizard.
25

Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis)

Night Lizards are found in a variety of habitats in the 

Owens Valley region (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b). Although 

they usually occur under downed limbs of Joshua trees (Yucca 

brevifolia), they are sometimes found under other surface 

objects such as rocks and logs (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b). 

Desert Night Lizards may occur at MANZ, although areas 

with suitable cover are limited. 

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)

Isolated relictual populations of this species occur in 

mesic settings throughout the region, including a recently discovered population at Death Valley National Park (Emmerich 

and Cunningham 2003). Ring-necked snakes may possibly 

occur along Bairs Creek, although the species usually prefers 

habitats with permanent water such as springs.

Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)

This species is found throughout the Owens Valley 

(Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), and almost certainly occurs at 

MANZ. Common Kingsnakes are active both day and night.

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)

This primarily nocturnal species is found throughout 

the Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), and almost 

certainly occurs at MANZ as well.

Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora 

hexalepis)

The Western Patchnose Snake is found throughout the 

Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), and almost 

certainly occurs at MANZ. Like the Coachwhip, this is a fast, 

strictly diurnal species.

Western Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)

The Ground Snake has been found at scattered localities 

in the Owens Valley region (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), and 

probably occurs at MANZ. Although seldom seen, this small, 

insectivorous snake is sometimes locally abundant (Macey and 

Papenfuss 1991b).

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis 

elegans)

This species of garter snake may occur in Bairs Creek, 

at least sometimes. Populations occur throughout much of the 

Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), and during wetter periods this species may wander far from water. It is possible that Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes may sometimes 

disperse along Bairs Creek from permanent populations along 

the Owens River to the east, or from higher up in the Sierra 

Nevada foothills to the west.

Sierra Garter Snake (Thamnophis couchii)

The other species of garter snake in the MANZ region, 

this species occurs along the Owens River and streams draining the eastern Sierra (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), but is 

highly aquatic and requires permanent water. It is therefore 

highly unlikely that the Sierra Garter Snake occurs at MANZ.

Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata)

This strictly nocturnal, lizard-eating species is found 

throughout the Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), 

and almost certainly occurs at MANZ. Generally, substantial 

road cruising survey effort is required to find Night Snakes. 

Where extensive paved roads are available, surveys often 

reveal them to be a common species, for example at Petrified 

Forest National Park (Drost et al. 2001) and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (Rosen and Lowe 1996) in Arizona.

Southwestern Black-headed Snake (Tantilla 

hobartsmithi)

This species has been recorded at scattered localities in 

the Owens Valley region (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), and 

probably occurs at MANZ. This small, secretive, nocturnal 

species often occurs around springs or streams (Macey and 

Papenfuss 1991b), and is most likely to occur at MANZ along 

Bairs Creek. Extensive pitfall trapping or cover-flipping surveys may be required to document this species.

Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)

Sidewinders may occur at MANZ, although we found 

no sign of them, including no sign of their distinctive tracks. 

Macey and Papenfuss (1991b) indicate that the entire Owens 

Valley is occupied by this species, and locality records are 

plotted both north and south of MANZ. However, a series of 

closely spaced locality records plotted from the vicinity of 

Lone Pine and running to the southeast (probably along US 

395) ends abruptly in the area of Lone Pine, with no records 

in the immediate vicinity of MANZ. Because the species has 

been recorded in the northern Owens Valley, from south of Big 

Pine and to the north (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b), it may 

occur at MANZ, but is apparently rare in the local area, probably due to the lack of large areas preferred sandy habitat.
26 Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at Manzanar National Historic Site, California

Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)

Speckled Rattlesnakes prefer rocky habitats, including 

canyons and foothills, but also occur in valley floors, including 

the Owens Valley (Macey and Papenfuss 1991b). This species 

almost certainly occurs at MANZ.

Unverified sight records of rattlesnakes reported to us by 

NPS personnel likely represent this species.
27

Common and scientific names of the species mentioned in 

this document follow Stebbins (2003). Recent studies have 

proposed changes in the taxonomy of some species found at 

MANZ, and interested readers should consult Crother (2000) 

and Crother et al. (2003) for a summary of these proposals.

Amphibians

Slender Salamanders (Batrachoseps species)

Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander (Hydromantes species)

Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)

Western Toad (Bufo boreas)

Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Lizards

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus obesus)

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)

Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores)

Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)

Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)

Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)

Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)

Western Whiptail (Cnemidophorus tigris)

Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)

Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus)

Gilbert’s Skink (Eumeces gilberti)

Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)

Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis)

Snakes

Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)

Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans)

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer)

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)

Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)

Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)

Western Shovel-nosed Snake (Chionactis occipitalis)

Western Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans)

Sierra Garter Snake (Thamnophis couchii)

Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata)

Southwestern Black-headed Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi)

Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)

Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)

Appendix D. Scientific Names of Amphibian and Reptile Species 

U.S. Geological Survey

Southwest Biological Science Center

2255 N. Gemini Drive

Flagstaff, AZ 86001