Distribution Tailed frogs occur west of the Cascade Range, from northwestern California north to British Columbia. They also occur in northern Idaho and northwestern Montana. It may occur on near-shore coastal islands but does not occur on Vancouver Island or the Queen Charlotte Islands. Breeding and nursing streams are critical habitat for breeding adults and tadpoles. Due to a long larval development period, tadpoles require stable streams that are permanently flowing.
Coarse substrates enable tadpoles to escape flooding events and small bedload movements.
Generally, these streams do not contain commercial fish species or other aquatic predators. Streams with these preferred characteristics adjacent to old forest with significant understorey may be particularly important for this species. Selected references Blaustein, A.R., J.J. Beatty, D.H. Olson and R.M Storm. The biology of amphibians and reptiles in old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest. Brown, H.A. 1990.