Wildlife Fact Sheets

  1. 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.
    1. Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium)
    2. Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum)
    3. Blanco Blind Salamander (Eurycea robusta)
    4. Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans clamitans)
    5. Houston Toad (Anaxyrus houstonensis)
    6. Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
    7. San Marcos Salamander (Eurycea nana)
    8. Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala)
    9. Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni)
  2. 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.
    1. American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
    2. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
    3. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
    4. American Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)
    5. Arctic Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius)
    6. Attwater's Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri)
    7. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
    8. Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla)
    9. Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    10. Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
    11. Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
    12. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    13. Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis)
    14. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
    15. Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
    16. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
    17. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
    18. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
    19. Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
    20. Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
    21. Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi)
    22. Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis)
    23. Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
    24. Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia)
    25. Inca Dove (Columbina inca)
    26. Interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum athalassos)
    27. Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
    28. Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida)
    29. Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)
    30. Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)
    31. Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis)
    32. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    33. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
    34. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
    35. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    36. Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
    37. Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
    38. Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus)
    39. Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
    40. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
    41. Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis)
    42. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
    43. Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
    44. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
    45. Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
    46. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
    47. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
    48. Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
    49. White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)
    50. Whooping Crane (Grus americana)
    51. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
  3. 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.
    1. Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
    2. American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)
    3. Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)
    4. Atlantic Cutlassfish (Trichiurus lepturus)
    5. Big Bend Gambusia (Gambusia gaigei)
    6. Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus)
    7. Black Buffalo (Ictiobus niger)
    8. Black Bullhead (Ameiurus melas)
    9. Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
    10. Black Drum (Pogonias cromis)
    11. Blacktail Shiner (Cyprinella venusta)
    12. Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
    13. Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
    14. Bowfin (Amia calva)
    15. Chain Pickerel (Esox niger)
    16. Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
    17. Clear Creek Gambusia (Gambusia heterochir)
    18. Cobia (Rachycentron canadum)
    19. Comanche Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon elegans)
    20. Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
    21. Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis)
    22. Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos)
    23. Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)
    24. Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
    25. Flier (Centrarchus macropterus)
    26. Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus)
    27. Fountain Darter (Etheostoma fonticola)
    28. Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)
    29. Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus)
    30. Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)
    31. Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
    32. Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
    33. Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili)
    34. Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)
    35. Guadalupe Bass (Micropterus treculii)
    36. Hardhead Catfish (Arius felis)
    37. Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris)
    38. Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
    39. Leon Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus)
    40. Longear Sunfish (Lepomis megalotis)
    41. Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
    42. Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula)
    43. Pecos Gambusia (Gambusia nobilis)
    44. Pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera)
    45. Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides)
    46. Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
    47. Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
    48. Red Shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis)
    49. Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)
    50. Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus)
    51. Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
    52. Redfin Shiner (Lythrurus umbratilis)
    53. Rio Grande Cichlid (Herichthys cyanoguttatus)
    54. San Marcos Gambusia (Gambusia georgei)
    55. Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
    56. Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)
    57. Shortnose Gar (Lepisosteus platostomus)
    58. Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
    59. Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus)
    60. Southern Flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma)
    61. Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus)
    62. Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)
    63. Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus)
    64. Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)
    65. Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus)
    66. Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)
    67. Texas Shiner (Notropis amabilis)
    68. Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense)
    69. Tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis)
    70. Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens)
    71. Walleye (Sander vitreus)
    72. Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus)
    73. White Bass (Morone chrysops)
    74. White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
    75. Yellow Bass (Morone mississippiensis)
    76. Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus natalis)
  4. 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.
    1. Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)
    2. Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)
    3. Fiddler Crab (Uca rapax)
    4. Gulf Stone Crab (Menippe adina)
    5. Lightning Whelk (Busycon perversum pulleyi)
  5. 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.
    1. American Parastrelle (Parastrellus hesperus)
    2. Badger (Taxidea taxus)
    3. Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
    4. Big Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops macrotis)
    5. Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
    6. Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes)
    7. Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)
    8. Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
    9. Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
    10. Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
    11. Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)
    12. California Myotis (Myotis californicus)
    13. Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer)
    14. Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
    15. Coues' Rice Rat (Oryzomys couesi)
    16. Coyote (Canis latrans)
    17. Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
    18. Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    19. Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)
    20. Elk (Cervus canadensis)
    21. Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis)
    22. Fringed Myotis (Myotis thysanodes)
    23. Ghost-faced Bat (Mormoops megalophylla)
    24. Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
    25. Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
    26. Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi)
    27. Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans)
    28. Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus)
    29. Mexican Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris nivalis)
    30. Mexican Long-tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana)
    31. Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)
    32. Mountain Sheep (Ovis canadensis)
    33. Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
    34. Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis)
    35. Northern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius)
    36. Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
    37. Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus)
    38. Palo Duro Mouse (Peromyscus truei comanche)
    39. (Peromyscus truei)
    40. Pocketed Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops femorosacca)
    41. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)
    42. Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii)
    43. Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus)
    44. River Otter (Lutra canadensis)
    45. Seminole Bat (Lasiurus seminolus)
    46. Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
    47. Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius)
    48. Southern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus ega)
    49. Spotted Bat (Euderma maculatum)
    50. Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
    51. Swift Fox (Vulpes velox)
    52. Texas Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys elator)
    53. Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)
    54. Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)
    55. Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
    56. Western Mastiff Bat (Eumops perotis)
    57. Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii)
    58. Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum)
    59. Western Yellow Bat (Lasiurus xanthinus)
    60. Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis)
  6. Plants are multicellular, nonmobile, photosynthesizing organisms adapted to live on land. They consist of leaves 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.

    For threatened and endangered plants, visit Federal and State Listed Plants of Texas.

    1. American Chaffseed (Schwalbea americana)
    2. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
    3. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
    4. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
    5. Earth Fruit (Geocarpon minimum)
    6. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
    7. Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)
  7. 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.
    1. American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
    2. Bullsnake (Pituophis catinefer sayi)
    3. Concho Water Snake (Nerodia paucimaculata)
    4. Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)
    5. Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
    6. Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
    7. Gulf Salt Marsh Snake (Nerodia clarkii)
    8. Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
    9. Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
    10. Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
    11. Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
    12. Louisiana Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum amaura)
    13. Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni)
    14. Northern Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata maculata)
    15. Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata)
    16. Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
    17. Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)
    18. Texas Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin littoralis)
    19. Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
    20. Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri)
    21. Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
    22. Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens flavescens)