Ronald Altig1, Roy W. McDiarmid2, Kimberly A. Nichols3 and Paul C. Ustach4
SECTION 1. SIZE, BUCCAL ANATOMY, AND RANGE: Division 1, Sections 1-B and 3-D - [4] -
A. | to 100.0 TL; at least larger specimens with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of buccal cavity; Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean |
Spea (part) - Section 2
B. | < 35.0 TL; never with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of buccal cavity; Great Plains east to Atlantic Ocean |
Scaphiopus - Section 5
SECTION 2. TROPHIC MORPHOLOGY, LTRF, BODY SHAPE, AND COLORATION: Division 1, Sections 1-B and 3-D; Division 6, Section 1-A - > 100.0 TL; often with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of buccal cavity; Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean - [5] -
A. | cannibal morphotype - immensely hypertrophied jaw musculature visible through skin produces large-headed appearance (= widest part of body at about plane of eyes); margin of upper jaw sheath with pronounced medial convexity (= cuspate), margin of lower sheath with medial concavity; LTRF typically 4/4 but variable and tooth ridges often sparsely populated; body notably depressed; coloration highly variable relative to turbidity of habitat, but always uniform, iridophore pigmentation often prevails in life; to 100 TL |
B. | non-cannibal morphotype - jaw musculature normally proportioned, widest part of body at about middle of abdomen; margins of upper and lower jaw sheaths follow uniform track; LTRF typically 4/4 but variable, tooth rows usually well formed; body globular; coloration highly variable relative to turbidity of habitat, but always uniform, iridophore pigmentation often prevails; tail tip bluntly pointed; to 80 TL |
SECTION 3. RANGE: Division 1, Sections 1-B and 3-D; Division 6, Sections 1-A and 2-A - to 100.0 TL; at least larger specimens with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of the buccal cavity; Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean; cannibal morphotype - [2, in sympatry] -
A. | most of western Great Plains from Trans Pecos area of Texas west into Arizona and adjacent Utah and north to southern Alberta and adjacent British Columbia (sympatric: Scaphiopus couchii, S. hurterii, and Spea multiplicata**) |
Spea bombifrons (part) [B]
B. | Central Valley of California and west (sympatric: none) |
Spea hammondii (part) [B]
C. | Great Basin from south-central British Columbia to southern Nevada and east through Idaho and Utah, mostly allopatric to all other pelobatids (sympatric: Spea multiplicata) |
Spea intermontana (part) [B]
D. | eastern half of Texas west through most of Arizona (sympatric: Scaphiopus couchii, Spea intermontana**, and S. bombifrons**) |
Spea multiplicata (part) [B]
SECTION 4. RANGE:Division 1, Sections 1-B and 3-D; Division 6, Sections 1-A and 2-B - to 100.0 TL; at least larger specimens with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of buccal cavity; Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean; non-cannibal morphotype - [2, in sympatry] -
A. | most of western Great Plains from Trans Pecos area of Texas west into Arizona and adjacent Utah and north to southern Alberta and adjacent British Columbia (sympatric: Scaphiopus couchii, S. hurterii, and Spea multiplicata**) |
Spea bombifrons (part) [B]
B. | Central Valley of California and west (sympatric: none) |
Spea hammondii (part) [B]
C. | Great Basin from south-central British Columbia to southern Nevada and east through Idaho and Utah, mostly allopatric to all other pelobatids (sympatric: Spea multiplicata) |
Spea intermontana (part) [B]
D. | eastern half of Texas west through most of Arizona (sympatric: Scaphiopus couchii, Spea intermontana**, and S. bombifrons**) |
Spea multiplicata (part) [B]
SECTION 5. LTRF, COLORATION, AND RANGE: Division 1, Sections 1-B and 3- D; Division 6, Sections 1-B - < 35.0 TL; never with keratinized knob on roof of anterior part of buccal cavity; Great Plains to Atlantic Ocean - [4] -
A. | LTRF 4/4; brassy in life with haphazard black marks on distal third of tail muscle; southwestern Oklahoma south to Gulf of Mexico and west to southeastern California (sympatric: Scaphiopus hurterii, Spea bombifrons, and S. multiplicata) |
Scaphiopus couchii [B]
B. | LTRF 6/6; brown to bronze with no contrasting markings on tail muscle; northeastern third of Arkansas and adjacent Missouri and much of area east of Mississippi River south of latitude of southern Ohio (sympatric: none) |
Scaphiopus holbrookii [A]
C. | LTRF 6/6; brown to bronze with no contrasting markings on tail muscle; eastern third of Texas and Oklahoma and adjacent Arkansas and Louisiana (sympatric: Scaphiopus couchii and Spea bombifrons) |
Scaphiopus hurterii (not illustrated) [C]