Wildlife Fact Sheets
Amphibians typically are "cold-blooded " vertebrates which change from an aquatic, water-breathing, limbless larva (or tadpole) to a terrestrial or partially terrestrial, air-breathing, four-legged adult. This group includes: frogs and toads, salamanders and newts, and caecilians (limbless amphibians). Learn more about amphibians .
Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma
tigrinum mavortium)
Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea
sosorum)
Black-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus meridionalis)
Blanco Blind Salamander (Eurycea
robusta)
Bronze Frog (Rana
clamitans clamitans)
Cascade Caverns Salamander (Eurycea
latitans)
Comal Blind Salamander (Eurycea
tridentifera)
Houston Toad (Bufo
houstonensis)
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma
opacum)
Mexican Burrowing Toad (Rhinophrynus dorsalis)
Mexican Treefrog (Smilisca baudinii)
San Marcos Salamander (Eurycea
nana)
Sheep Frog (Hypopachus variolosus)
South Texas Siren (large Form) (Siren sp. 1)
Southern Leopard Frog (Rana
sphenocephala)
Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea
rathbuni)
White-lipped Frog (Leptodactylus labialis)
Birds are warm-blooded, air-breathing vertebrates. Their body is covered with feathers. Birds have beaks, wings and scale covered legs. All birds lay eggs that are covered with a calcium carbonate shell.
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
American Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)
Arctic Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius)
Attwater's Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla)
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus
alexandri)
Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis)
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides
pubescens)
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia
sialis)
Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
Elf Owl (Micrathene
whitneyi)
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius
borealis)
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo
regalis)
Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica
chrysoparia)
Inca Dove (Columbina
inca)
Interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum athalassos)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius
americanus)
Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix
occidentalis lucida)
Mississippi Kite (Ictinia
mississippiensis)
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)
Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis
cardinalis)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes
auratus)
Northern Harrier (Circus
cyaneus)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus
polyglottos)
Painted Bunting (Passerina
ciris)
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus
podiceps)
Pine Warbler (Dendroica
pinus)
Piping Plover (Charadrius
melodus)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes
carolinus)
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides
borealis)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo
lineatus)
Reddish Egret (Egretta
rufescens)
Rock Pigeon (Columba
livia)
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus
colubris)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
Swainson's Hawk (Buteo
swainsoni)
White-faced Ibis (Plegadis
chihi)
Whooping Crane (Grus
americana)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
Fish are scaled, "cold-blooded " vertebrates found in water environments. They fall into three main groups: agnatha or jawless fish, chondrichthyes or cartilaginous fish and osteichthyes or bony fish. Most fish lay eggs, though a few species give birth to live young. This group includes: Agnatha - lampreys and hagfish, Chondrichthyes - sharks, skates and rays, and Osteichthyes - all other fish.
Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)
Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)
Atlantic Cutlassfish (Trichiurus lepturus)
Big Bend Gambusia (Gambusia
gaigei)
Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus)
Black Buffalo (Ictiobus niger)
Black Bullhead (Ameiurus
melas)
Black Crappie (Pomoxis
nigromaculatus)
Black Drum (Pogonias
cromis)
Blacktail Shiner (Cyprinella
venusta)
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus
furcatus)
Bluegill (Lepomis
macrochirus)
Bowfin (Amia calva)
Chain Pickerel (Esox
niger)
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus
punctatus)
Clear Creek Gambusia (Gambusia
heterochir)
Cobia (Rachycentron canadum)
Comanche Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon elegans)
Common Carp (Cyprinus
carpio)
Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis)
Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos)
Fathead Minnow (Pimephales
promelas)
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis
olivaris)
Flier (Centrarchus
macropterus)
Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus)
Fountain Darter (Etheostoma
fonticola)
Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus
grunniens)
Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus)
Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma
cepedianum)
Golden Shiner (Notemigonus
crysoleucas)
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon
idella)
Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili)
Green Sunfish (Lepomis
cyanellus)
Guadalupe Bass (Micropterus
treculii)
Hardhead Catfish (Arius felis)
Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris)
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus
salmoides)
Leon Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus)
Longear Sunfish (Lepomis
megalotis)
Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus
osseus)
Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula)
Pecos Gambusia (Gambusia
nobilis)
Pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera)
Pinfish (Lagodon
rhomboides)
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus
mykiss)
Red Drum (Sciaenops
ocellatus)
Red Shiner (Cyprinella
lutrensis)
Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)
Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis
auritus)
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis
microlophus)
Redfin Shiner (Lythrurus
umbratilis)
Rio Grande Cichlid (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum)
San Marcos Gambusia (Gambusia
georgei)
Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)
Shortnose Gar (Lepisosteus
platostomus)
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus
dolomieu)
Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus)
Southern Flounder (Paralichthys
lethostigma)
Spotted Bass (Micropterus
punctulatus)
Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus
oculatus)
Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion
nebulosus)
Striped Bass (Morone
saxatilis)
Striped Mullet (Mugil
cephalus)
Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)
Texas Shiner (Notropis
amabilis)
Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma
petenense)
Tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis)
Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens)
Walleye (Sander vitreum)
Warmouth (Lepomis
gulosus)
White Bass (Morone
chrysops)
White Crappie (Pomoxis
annularis)
Yellow Bass (Morone
mississippiensis)
Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus
natalis)
Invertebrates are "cold-blooded " animals with no backbone. They may live on land or in water, and may be covered by a shell or exoskeleton.
Atlantic Bay Scallop (Argopecten
irradians amplicostatus)
Bee Creek Cave Harvestman (Texella
reddelli)
Blue Crab (Callinectes
sapidus)
Bone Cave Harvestman (Texella
reyesi)
Coffin Cave Mold Beetle (Batrisodes
texanus)
Common Green Darner (Anax
junius)
Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea
virginica)
Fiddler Crab (Uca
rapax)
Giant Floater (Anodonta
grandis)
Hellgrammite (Dobsonfly Larvae) (Corydalus
cornutus)
Kretschmarr Cave Mold Beetle (Texamaurops
reddelli)
Lightning Whelk (Busycon
perversum pulleyi)
Monarch (Danaus
plexippus)
Stone Crab (Menippe
mercenaria)
Tooth Cave Ground Beetle (Rhadine
persephone)
Tooth Cave Pseudoscorpion (Tartarocreagris
texana)
Tooth Cave Spider (Neoleptoneta
myopica)
Mammals are warm-blooded air-breathing vertebrates. Their body is covered with hair. All mammals feed their young milk. Most mammals give birth to miniature versions of themselves. This group includes: Monotremes - duckbilled platypus, echidnas, Marsupials - opossums, kangaroos, and Placentals - most other mammals. For more information and additional species, see The Mammals of Texas .
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis)
Badger (Taxidea
taxus)
Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus
fuscus)
Big Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops macrotis)
Black Bear (Ursus
americanus)
Black-footed Ferret (Mustela
nigripes)
Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus
californicus)
Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys
ludovicianus)
Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Bobcat (Lynx
rufus)
Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus)
Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida
brasiliensis)
California Myotis (Myotis
californicus)
Cave Myotis (Myotis
velifer)
Common Raccoon (Procyon
lotor)
Coues' Rice Rat (Oryzomys
couesi)
Coyote (Canis
latrans)
Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)
Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus
audubonii)
Dwarf Sperm Whale (Kogia simus)
Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus
niger)
Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus
subflavus)
Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)
Elk (Cervus
elaphus)
Evening Bat (Nycticeius
humeralis)
False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens)
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Fringed Myotis (Myotis
thysanodes)
Gervais' Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon europaeus)
Ghost-faced Bat (Mormoops
megalophylla)
Gray Wolf (Canis
lupus)
Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (Diphylla ecaudata)
Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
Jaguarundi (Herpailurus
yaguarondi)
Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)
Little Brown Myotis (Myotis
lucifugus)
Long-legged Myotis (Myotis
volans)
Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus
mexicanus)
Mexican Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris nivalis)
Mexican Long-tongued Bat (Choeronycteris
mexicana)
Mountain Lion (Puma
concolor)
Mountain Sheep (Ovis
canadensis)
Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus
novemcinctus)
Northern Myotis (Myotis
septentrionalis)
Northern Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis)
Northern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius)
Ocelot (Leopardus
pardalis)
Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus)
Palo Duro Mouse (Peromyscus
truei comanche)
Piñon Mouse (Peromyscus
truei)
Pocketed Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops femorosacca)
Pronghorn (Antilocapra
americana)
Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuata)
Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps)
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus
rafinesquii)
Red Wolf (Canis
rufus)
Ringtail (Bassariscus
astutus)
River Otter (Lutra
canadensis)
Rough-toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis)
Seminole Bat (Lasiurus seminolus)
Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris
noctivagans)
Southeastern Myotis (Myotis
austroriparius)
Southern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus ega)
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Spotted Bat (Euderma
maculatum)
Striped Skunk (Mephitis
mephitis)
Swift Fox (Vulpes velox)
Texas Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys
elator)
Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Plecotus townsendii)
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis
virginiana)
West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus)
Western Mastiff Bat (Eumops perotis)
Western Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus
hesperus)
Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii)
Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis
ciliolabrum)
Western Yellow Bat (Lasiurus xanthinus)
Yuma Myotis (Myotis
yumanensis)
Plants are multicellular, nonmobile, photosynthesizing organisms adapted to live on land. They consist of leave and/or stems that capture the sun's energy and an underground root system. This group includes: moss and liverworts, ferns, conifers, and flowering plants.
American Chaffseed (Schwalbea
americana)
Ashy Dogweed (Thymophylla
tephroleuca)
Bald Cypress (Taxodium
distichum)
Black Lace Cactus (Echinocereus
reichenbachii var. albertii)
Bunched Cory Cactus (Coryphantha
ramillosa subsp. ramillosa)
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias
tuberosa)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia
cardinalis)
Chisos Mountains Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus
chisoensis var. chisoensis)
Davis' Green Pitaya (Echinocereus
davisii)
Earth Fruit (Geocarpon minimum)
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus
florida)
Hinckley's Oak (Quercus
hinckleyi)
Johnston's Frankenia (Frankenia
johnstonii)
Large-fruited Sand-verbena (Abronia
macrocarpa)
Little Aguja Pondweed (Potamogeton
clystocarpus)
Lloyd's Mariposa Cactus (Sclerocactus mariposensis)
Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus
maximiliani)
Navasota Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes
parksii)
Nellie's Cory Cactus (Escobaria minima)
Slender Rush-pea (Hoffmannseggia
tenella)
Sneed's Pincushion Cactus (Escobaria sneedii var. sneedii)
South Texas Ambrosia (Ambrosia
cheiranthifolia)
Star Cactus (Astrophytum
asterias)
Sweetgum (Liquidambar
styraciflua)
Terlingua Creek Cat's-eye (Cryptantha crassipes)
Texas Ayenia (Ayenia
limitaris)
Texas Poppy-mallow (Callirhoe
scabriuscula)
Texas Prairie Dawn (Hymenoxys
texana)
Texas Snowbells (Styrax
platanifolius subsp. texanus)
Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox
nivalis subsp. texensis)
Texas Wild-rice (Zizania texana)
Tobusch Fishhook Cactus (Sclerocactus brevihamatus subsp. tobuschii)
Walker's Manioc (Manihot
walkerae)
White Bladderpod (Physaria pallida)
Reptiles are "cold-blooded " air-breathing vertebrates. A tough leathery skin that has embedded scales covers their body. Most reptiles lay eggs, though some give birth to fully-formed young. This group includes crocodiles, alligators, turtles, snakes, lizards, and tuatara.
American Alligator (Alligator
mississippiensis)
Black-striped Snake (Coniophanes imperialis)
Brazos Water Snake (Nerodia
harteri)
Bullsnake (Pituophis
catinefer sayi)
Concho Water Snake (Nerodia
paucimaculata)
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)
Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia
mydas)
Gulf Salt Marsh Snake (Nerodia
clarkii)
Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys
imbricata)
Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais)
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys
kempii)
Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys
coriacea)
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta
caretta)
Louisiana Milk Snake (Lampropeltis
triangulum amaura)
Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis
ruthveni)
Mexican Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon vilkinsonii)
Mountain Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma
hernandesi)
Northern Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira septentrionalis)
Northern Earless Lizard (Holbrookia
maculata maculata)
Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata)
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys
scripta elegans)
Reticulate Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus reticulatus)
Reticulated Gecko (Coleonyx reticulatus)
Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea)
Smooth Green Snake (Liochlorophis vernalis)
Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon
contortrix contortrix)
Speckled Racer (Drymobius margaritiferus)
Texas Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys
terrapin littoralis)
Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma
cornutum)
Texas Tortoise (Gopherus
berlandieri)
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus
horridus)
Trans-Pecos Black-headed Snake (Tantilla cucullata)
Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon
piscivorus leucostoma)
Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon
flavescens flavescens)