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New Mexico State University

Interior Southwestern Riparian Deciduous Forest and Wetland

(Fremont Cottonwood, Arizona Sycamore)

Water is a rare commodity in the Southwest. Where it is found there is an abundance of vegetation and associated animals.

These ecosystems support a great variety of Herptofauna, Insects and Spiders.

Image of landscape
Image of landscape

Herptofauna

Reptiles and Amphibians of Riparian Habitats - Below, top to bottom

  • Redspotted Toad.
  • Ringneck Snake in a characteristic defense posture.
Image of redspotted toad
Image of ringnecked snake

Insects

Riparian Insects - Below, top to bottom

  • A dragonfly, *Sympetrum corruptum *, at a pond on the Gray Ranch.
  • Firetail damselfly, Telebasis salva.
  • Queen butterflies, Danaus gilippus, on composites at a pond on the Gray Ranch.
  • A Claudia butterfly, or Variegated Fritillary, Euptoieta claudia , at a pond on the Gray Ranch.
  • A Pearl Crescent butterfly, Phyciodes pascoensis, at a pond on the Gray Ranch.
  • A beefly, family Bombyliidae, on a flower at a pond on the Gray Ranch.
Image of dragonfly
Image of Firetail damselfly
Image of queen butterflies
Image of Claudia butterfly
Image of pearl cresent butterfly
Image of a beefly

Spiders

A Spider of Riparian Habitats

  • Pardosa valens on rock (this specimen from Cave Creek, Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise County, AZ.)
Image of spider