Amphibians and Reptiles
Western Pond Turtle
Actinemys marmorata
- 2/10: Vertebrate Biology SSU Campus Walk. Basking on the edge of the Commencement Lake.
- 3/25: Pepperwood Preserve. I was glad to see a few turtles out of the water at Turtle Pond. First, we saw two of them on a downed tree right at the edge of the pond. Later, one of them swam out to climb onto the basking boards in the middle of the lake. My photos are pretty crappy, but good enough to make the ID. Plus, this is the most likely species to see here, since I understand that they regularly relocate Red-eared Sliders off of the preserve.
Western Toad
Anaxyrus boreas
- 3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Found this toad, on the smallish side for this species, under one of the coverboards in the meadow area. The students were super excited to see this little cutie pie. (So was I).
Tiger Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tigris
California Slender Salamander
Batrachoseps attenuatus
- 2/10: Vertebrate Biology SSU Campus Walk. Found several underneath the logs behind the Art Building.
- 3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Under one of the coverboards not far from the nature center.
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
Crotalus oreganus
Mojave Green Rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus
California Giant Salamander
Dicamptodon ensatus
Southern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria multicarinata
2/10: Vertebrate Biology SSU Campus Walk. Found a juvenile lizard underneath a rock near the bike path (creekside behind the Art Building).
Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Gambelia wislizenii
Mojave Desert Tortoise
Gopherus agassizii
Desert Nightsnake
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
American Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
Desert Striped Whipsnake
Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus
Desert Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
Spotted/Western Leaf-nosed Snake
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Western Skink
Plestiodon skiltonianus
Baja California Treefrog
Pseudacris hypochondriaca
Sierran Tree Frog
Pseudacris sierra
3/13: Cotati. I found a very small (.5″) tree frog in one of my backyard planters. Kind of reddish in color, and so precious.
Foothill Yellow-legged Frog
Rana boylii
Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis
- 3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. This relatively small lizard was found under one of the coverboards in the meadow area, and I was able to capture it so everyone could get a closer look.
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus uniformis
Rough-skinned Newt
Taricha granulosa
Coast Garter Snake
Thamnophis elegans
Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta
Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard
Uma scoparia
Long-tailed Brush Lizard
Urosaurus graciosus
Common Sideblotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Fishes
Coho Salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
2/24: Warm Springs Fish Hatchery. During a tour of the hatchery, we were able to learn about the captive breeding program for this at-risk species.
Steelhead
Oncorhynchus mykiss
2/24: Warm Springs Fish Hatchery. During a tour of the hatchery, we were able to watch hatchery staff net these fish out of the intake stream to become part of the hatchery breeding program.
Mammals
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
Ammospermophilus leucurus
Desert Pocket Mouse
Chaetodipus penicillatus
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus californicus
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
California Vole
Microtus californicus
Sonoma Chipmunk
Neotamias sonomae
Columbian Black-tailed Deer
Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
3/3: Sonoma Mountain. A few deer were seen near the road as we were driving back to campus after visiting the Osborn preserve.
California Ground Squirrel
Otospermophilus beecheyi
Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
Pacific Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina richardii
Northern Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Western Gray Squirrel
Sciurus griseus
- 2/10: Vertebrate Biology SSU Campus Walk. Seen near Carson Hall.
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Evening Bats
Vespertilionidae
Kit Fox
Vulpes macrotis
Invertebrates
Ostrich-plume Hydroid
Aglaophenia latirostris
Clam Worm
Alitta succinea
Moonglow Anemone
Anthopleura artemisia
Aggregating Anemone
Anthopleura elegantissima
Sunburst Anemone
Anthopleura sola
Giant Green Anemone
Anthopleura xanthogrammica
California Seahare
Aplysia californica
Button’s Banana Slug
Ariolimax buttoni
Common Pill Woodlouse
Armadillidium vulgare
Blue Death Feigning Beetle
Asbolus verrucosus
Northern Hemisphere Crayfishes
Astacoidea
Greater Moon Jelly
Aurelia labiata
Pacific Acorn Barnacle
Balanus glandula
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
American Sand Wasp
Bembix americana
Spiny Mole Crab
Blepharipoda occidentalis
Black-tailed Bumble Bee
Bombus melanopygus
Yellow-faced Bumble Bee
Bombus vosnesenskii
Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis
Bronze Beetle
Chrysolina bankii
Cream Grasshopper
Cibolacris parviceps
Nuttall’s Cockle
Clinocardium nuttallii
Seven-spot Ladybug
Coccinella septempunctata
4/18: Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail/Laguna Wetlands Preserve.
Armored Stink Beetle
Eleodes armata
Blue Dock Beetle
Gastrophysa cyanea
Desert Hairy Scorpion
Hadrurus arizonensis
Convergent Lady Beetle
Hippodamia convergens
Spaghetti Worm
Lanice sp
Fingered Limpet
Lottia digitalis
Shield Limpet
Lottia pelta
Rough Limpet
Lottia scabra
Desert Recluse
Loxosceles deserta
Dungeness Crab
Metacarcinus magister
Mossy Chiton
Mopalia muscosa
California Mussel
Mytilus californianus
Decorator Worm
Neosabellaria cementarium
Bay Ghost Shrimp
Neotrypaea californiensis
Striped Dogwinkle
Nucella ostrina
Purple Clam
Nuttallia nuttallii
Striped Shore Crab
Pachygrapsus crassipes
Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus
Purple Ribbon Worm
Paranemertes peregrina
Antlion
Paranthaclisis sp
Tarantula-hawk Wasp
Pepsis sp.
Johnson’s Jumping Spider
Phidippus johnsoni
Phoronid Worm
Phoronopsis harmeri
Cabbage White
Pieris rapae
Ochre Sea Star
Pisaster ochraceus
Wing-tapping Cicada
Platypedia sp.
California Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex californicus
Gooseneck Barnacle
Pollicipes polymerus
Northern Kelp Crab
Pugettia producta
Pacific Rock Crab
Romaleon antennarium
Omnivorous Looper
Sabulodes aegrotata
White-bowed Smoothwing
Scaeva affinis
Bristle-legged Moth
Schreckensteinia felicella
Thatched Barnacle
Semibalanus cariosus
Vachon’s Rock Scorpion
Smeringurus vachoni
Black Tegula
Tegula funebralis
Gaper Clam
Tresus sp
Pallid-winged Grasshopper
Trimerotropis pallidipenni
Western Forest Scorpion
Uroctonus mordax
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Saw two of these fun critters today. The first was under a hoverboard, and I’m honestly not sure how my students even spotted it, as it was so tiny! It didn’t glow in the blacklight, which I think means that it recently molted? At any rate, super cute and smol. Seriously, about .75” long when fully extended. A bit later, we found a somewhat larger (but still small) scorpion under a rock alongside the trail.
Foothill Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex
Fungi and Algae
Yellow Cobblestone Lichen
Acarospora socialis
Bacterial Crown Gall
Agrobacterium radiobacter
Mulch Field Cap
Agrocybe putaminum
Cramp Balls
Annulohypoxylon thouarsianum
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Not certain of this ID.
Western Giant Puffball
Calvatia booniana
Cramp Balls
Daldinia grandis
Net-of-Cords Kelp
Dictyoneurum californicum
Feather Boa Kelp
Egregia menziesii
Common Greenshield Lichen
Flavoparmelia caperata
Northern Red Belt
Fomitopsis mounceae
American Brown Fomitopsis
Fomitopsis ochracea
Artist’s Bracket
Ganoderma applanatum
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Near the dip-net stream. I’m not sure of the ID yet, but this polypore was HUGE – more than a foot long.
Ganoderma brownii
Cherry-Red Waxy Cap
Hygrocybe laetissima
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Several of these gorgeous mushrooms were seen along the trail, mostly near the bottom where we stopped beside Copeland Creek. Not sure of the species – maybe Scarlet, or Candy-red?
Golden Ear
Naematelia aurantia
Dense Sea Fern
Neoptilota densa
Bull Kelp
Nereocystis luetkeana
Lilac Oysterling
Panus conchatus
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. This is an adorable little fungus, which we found growing right next to the trail as we hiked from Copeland Creek to Turtle Pond.
Sudden Oak Death
Phytophthora ramorum
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. On Bay Laurel.
Lace Lichen
Ramalina menziesii
Splitgill Mushroom
Schizophyllum commune
Hairy Curtain Crust
Stereum hirsutum
3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve.
Fat Jack/False Bolete
Suillus caerulescens
Turkey-tail
Trametes versicolor
- 3/3: Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Gorgeously colored.
Stalked Puffball
Tulostoma sp.
Beard Lichen
Usnea sp
Let me know what you think!