Zebra-tailed Lizards are very fast and can often be observed waving their banded tails. The photograph above shows a …
Fish, Amphibians & Reptiles
A fish is any member of a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits. Most fish are ectothermic (“cold-blooded”), allowing their body temperatures to vary as ambient temperatures change, though some of the large active swimmers like white shark and tuna can hold a higher core temperature. Fish are abundant in most bodies of water. They can be found in nearly all aquatic environments, from high mountain streams (e.g., char and gudgeon) to the abyssal and even hadal depths of the deepest oceans (e.g., gulpers and anglerfish). At 32,000 species, fish exhibit greater species diversity than any other group of vertebrates.
Amphibians are ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates of the class Amphibia (Greek ἀμφí, amphi, “both” + βíος, bios, “life”). They inhabit a wide variety of habitats with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal or freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Amphibians typically start out as larva living in water, but some species have developed behavioral adaptations to bypass this. The young generally undergo metamorphosis from larva with gills to an adult air-breathing form with lungs. Amphibians use their skin as a secondary respiratory surface and some small terrestrial salamanders and frogs lack lungs and rely entirely upon skin. They are superficially similar to reptiles but, along with mammals and birds, reptiles are amniotes and do not require water bodies in which to breed. With their complex reproductive needs and permeable skins, amphibians are often ecological indicators and in recent decades there has been a dramatic decline in amphibian populations for many species around the globe.
Reptiles the class Reptilia, are an evolutionary grade of animals, comprising today’s turtles, crocodilians, snakes, lizards, and tuatara, as well as many extinct groups. A reptile is any amniote (a tetrapod whose egg has an additional membrane, originally to allow them to lay eggs on land) that is neither a mammal nor a bird. Living reptiles have scales or scutes (rather than fur or feathers) and are cold-blooded.
Tiger Rattlesnake
They often fail to rattle and seldom strike; however if they do their venom is highly toxic. The Tiger rattlesnake is …
Sonoran Desert Toad
Sonoran Desert Toads exude toxic secretions that, if ingested, can cause hallucinations, paralysis or even death in …
Regal Horned Lizard
This lizard sometimes squirts foul tasting blood from its eyes when threatened or captured. Regal Horned Lizards are …
Madrean Alligator Lizard
The Madrean Alligator lizard is active during the day and evening. The Madrean Alligator Lizard is a large (to 5.5 …
Gopher Snake
Gopher snakes are Arizona’s longest snakes. They have been reported up to 92 inches (7.66 feet) long but 4 feet is more …
Gila Monster
The hide has a beaded appearance because it is made of tightly woven scales that each enclose a rounded particle of …
Eastern Collared Lizard
This lizard becomes bipedal in pursuit of prey or when fleeing predators such as large snakes, hawks and …
Desert Tortoise
A full-grown desert tortoise is approximately one foot long, weighs about 15 pounds and has a life expectancy of 80 …
Black-Tailed Rattlesnake
Like other pit vipers they use heat-sensing pits to detect warm-blooded predators and prey. Black-tailed Rattlesnakes …
Black-Necked Garter Snake
They are often encountered mid-morning or late afternoons foraging for tadpoles in shallow water. They also eat frogs, …
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Easily identified by the black and white striped tail. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, a pit-viper, is Arizona's …
Red-spotted Toad
Red-spotted Toads breed during monsoon season and are readily identified by the piercing trill of their mating …