Here you’ll find 11 Amphibians that start with R that begin with R, organized from “Red salamander” to “Rough-skinned newt”. Many are small salamanders or newts tied to damp forests, streams, and ponds across temperate regions.
[Amphibians that start with R] are frogs, salamanders, and newts whose common names begin with the letter R. One notable example, the rough-skinned newt, is famous for its potent toxin and predator stories.
Below you’ll find the table with Common Name, Scientific Name, Habitat, and Lifespan.
Common Name: The familiar English name helps you quickly recognize species and match field observations.
Scientific Name: The binomial gives the accepted Latin name so you can locate exact taxonomic information.
Habitat: Short ecosystem and regional notes show where you can expect to find each species in the wild.
Lifespan: Typical wild and captive age ranges give you a quick sense of longevity and basic care expectations.
Amphibians that start with R
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat / Region | Lifespan (years) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-eyed tree frog | Agalychnis callidryas | lowland tropical rainforest ponds, Central America | 5-10 | Iconic bright-green tree frog with red eyes and adhesive pads; lays eggs on leaves over water. Common and popular in ecotourism and the pet trade. |
| Red-spotted newt | Notophthalmus viridescens | ponds, wetlands and woodlands, Eastern North America | 12-15 | Has an aquatic adult and an orange terrestrial “eft” juvenile stage; familiar in backyard ponds. Widespread but sensitive to water pollution. |
| Rough-skinned newt | Taricha granulosa | forest streams and ponds, Pacific Northwest USA & SW Canada | 10-15 | Produces potent tetrodotoxin and displays warning colors; common in coastal forests and stream edges. |
| Red-bellied newt | Taricha rivularis | streams and riparian forests, northern California, USA | 10-20 | Small, secretive newt with a vivid orange belly; range is restricted to coastal California streams and is sensitive to habitat changes. |
| Red-backed salamander | Plethodon cinereus | deciduous forest leaf litter, NE USA & SE Canada | 8-12 | Abundant lungless salamander that breathes through skin; shows red-backed and lead-backed color morphs and is common in leaf litter. |
| Red salamander | Pseudotriton ruber | streams, swamps and woodlands, Eastern USA | 8-12 | Bright red or orange salamander often found near rocky streams; secretive but locally common, sometimes avoided by predators due to skin toxins. |
| Rio Grande leopard frog | Lithobates berlandieri | rivers, ponds and wetlands, Rio Grande basin, SW USA & Mexico | 3-5 | Spotted, medium-sized frog adapted to riparian habitats and human-altered wetlands; can tolerate varied water bodies. |
| Rocky Mountain tailed frog | Ascaphus montanus | cold, fast mountain streams, Rocky Mountains (NW USA) | 8-12 | Primitive frog with a male “tail” (cloacal extension) used in mating; specialized for life in cold, turbulent streams. |
| Ringed salamander | Ambystoma annulatum | seasonal ponds in oak-hickory forests, central USA (MO, AR, OK) | 10-15 | Striking rings on a dark body; breeds in seasonal ponds. Range is limited and populations are of local conservation concern. |
| Ringed caecilian | Siphonops annulatus | subterranean moist soils, Amazon & Atlantic forest regions of South America | 5-10 | Limbless, burrowing amphibian with ringed annuli; secretive and little-known but fairly widespread in suitable soils. |
| Red-legged salamander | Plethodon shermani | moist upland forests, southern Appalachian Mountains, USA | 10-15 | Small woodland salamander named for rusty-red legs; endemic to the southern Appalachians and usually found under logs and leaf litter. |