This document provides information about various nocturnal animals found in the Southwest, including toads, skunks, scorpions, fireflies, bats, coatimundis, tarantulas, owls, coyotes, the Arizona tree frog, and the Yaqui catfish. It describes their physical characteristics, habitats, diets, behaviors, and life cycles. The document is intended to educate about these nocturnal species native to the Southwest region.

1. NOCTURNAL ANIMALS OF
THE SOUTHWEST

2. Nocturnal Animals with
Classifications
 Summary Ben Teyechea’s 4th Grade
 Skunks
 Toads
 Scorpions
 Fireflies Click on the icon
 Bats for information
 Coatimundis
 Tarantulas
 Owls
 Coyotes
 Arizona Tree Frog
 Catfish
 Mountain Lions
 Quiz
 Standards
 References

3. Nocturnal Animals
What are nocturnal animals?
Nocturnal animals come out at
night. They live in woods and
other quiet places. They move
around and feed while we sleep.
Can they see at night?
Many nocturnal animals have
poor eyesight. They rely on other
senses like touch, feel and smell.
Except for Owls, they have
excellent night-time vision.
Can they hear well?
Nocturnal animals often need
their ears more than their eyes.
Where can we see nocturnal
animals?
Most people don't see nocturnal
animals very often. We are
usually sleeping when they are
out.

4. Toads
AMPHIBIANS
Toads spend the early part of their lives under water (as eggs and tadpoles) and the remainder on land. These nocturnal
animals hunt at night and spend the day sheltered in a cool spot.
Anatomy: Toads have poison glands behind their eyes, a chubby body, and shorter legs than frogs. Toads have no teeth,
and most toads have warty skin. The largest toads are over 8 inches long. Females are larger than males.
Life cycle: Like all amphibians, toads must return to the water to lay their eggs. Toad eggs are laid in the water. When
they hatch into tadpoles, they breathe with gills and swim using a tail. As they mature, they lose their tail, and they
develop lungs for breathing air.
Diet: Toads eat insects and other small animals, catching them with their long, sticky tongue.

5. Skunks
MAMMALS
Skunks are the smelliest mammals. These small, nocturnal animals are found in South and Central America and
much of North America.
The Spray: Skunks produce a very smelly spray that repels most predators. This oily, yellow liquid is produced in
two glands located under the tail. They can spray up to 10 feet away. The smell is long-lasting and very hard to get
rid of.
Anatomy: Wild skunks are black and white, but the patterns vary. They all have a bushy tail, short legs, clawed
feet, and a long snout. Domesticated skunks have a variety of coat colors and patterns.
Diet: Skunks are omnivores; they eat insects, rodents, reptiles and small mammals, worms, eggs, fish, fruit, and
plants.
Tracks - The skunk leaves a distinct pattern which is easily identified. The smaller front feet are pigeon-toed and
placed just ahead of the larger rear feet while in motion. This five-toed creature has long claws which are usually
evident in the print.

6. Scorpions
ARACHNIDS
Insect
Scorpions are an ancient group, remaining relatively unchanged since they became one of the first
animals to crawl onto land about 400 million years ago.
Anatomy: scorpions have a cephalothorax (combined head and thorax) containing their two
pedipalps (pincers) and 8 legs and a metasoma ("tail") of 5 segments that is part of their abdomen.
The pedipalps double as sensors (making up for their poor eyesight) and to grasp prey (usually
other arthropods that they have ambushed). After grasping their prey, they sting it using their
telson (stinger) and "chew" it up with their chelicerae.
Life Cycle: Scorpions do not lay eggs, instead they give birth in the summer to live young that hop
onto their mother's back and ride around for the 1-3 weeks until their first molt.
Scorpions are nocturnal so it is difficult to watch them going about their business. A good way to
watch scorpions is to use a black light at night. One or more substances in the epidermis (outer
skin) of our scorpions fluoresce a greenish-yellow color, making it easy to spot them. If you are
lucky, you may witness scorpions ambushing their prey.

7. Fireflies
INSECTS
The Pyralis firefly (also known as the lightning bug) is a common firefly in North America. This
partly nocturnal, luminescent beetle is the most common firefly in the USA.
The Firefly's Glow: At night, the very end (the last abdominal segment) of the firefly glows a
bright yellow-green color. The firefly can control this glowing effect. The brightness of a single
firefly is 1/40 of a candle. Fireflies use their glow to attract other fireflies. Males flash about every
five seconds; females flash about every two seconds.

9. Coatimundis
MAMMALS
Range: The Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of southwestern
Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and the Big Bend to
Brownsville areas of Texas.
Habitat: Canyons of desert mountain forests, usually near
water.
Anatomy: The Coati is a raccoon-like omnivore, but is more
slender and possesses a longer snout. It is a nosy, busy little
creature with an insatiable appetite.The Coati has a long snout
that is white near the tip and around the eyes, which often have
dark patches above. The Coati has small ears, dark feet and a
long, thin tail with 6 or 7 dark bands.
Diet: Coatis are diurnal, spending most of the day foraging for
food, which includes insects, lizards, roots, fruits, nuts and eggs.
They are very fond of fruit, especially the manzanita berry.
However, their habits are adjustable, and in areas where they are
hunted by humans for food, or where they raid human
settlements for their own food, they become more nocturnal.
Life Cycle: Coatis deliver a litter of 4 to 6 young after a gestation
period of about 11 weeks. The female educates and feeds the young
from the den site, usually a rocky niche in a wooded canyon.

10. Tarantulas
ARACHNID
Size: Male 2-2 ½ inches in length, female 2-2 ¾ inches. Legspan up
to 4 inches.
Anatomy: Large, hairy body, gray to dark brown. Abdomen
brownish black. Each leg has 2 claws at the tip and a tuft of hair
underneath. Microscopic bristles on abdomen, which easily break off
and irritate the skin or eyes of its enemy or prey. Large, venomous
fangs, although the venom is similar to that of a bee sting. Venom is
used to subdue prey. As they grow, they molt or shed their old
exoskeleton. Have 8 closely grouped eyes, but do not have good
vision.
Found in areas of desert soil. Nocturnal. Live in a burrow lined with
silk, but do not spin webs to catch prey. Males are short lived, but
females may live 20 years or more. They are reluctant to attack
humans.
Diet: Insects, lizards and other small animals such as mice.
Range: Arizona, southern California, New Mexico south into Mexico.
Male tarantulas, at 5-7 years of age, begin their search for a mate from
August through October, then die shortly after mating. A male approaches
the female’s burrow and plucks the strands of web at the opening of the
burrow to lure her out. If the female is not pleased with his tune, she may
consume him.
Female lays up to 300 eggs and conceals them in some natural cavity.
White, tick-size babies hatch in six weeks.

12. Coyotes
MAMMALS
 Adult coyotes measure from 23 to 25 inches high at the shoulder and are 3.4 to 4.3 feet
long.
 Coyotes eat almost everything: mice, voles, rabbits, insects, fish, frogs, snakes, lizards,
grasses, nuts, and all sorts of dead animals. They even eat watermelon. The name
coyote comes from the Aztec word coyotl. The Aztecs were people who began living in
central America some 700 years ago.
 The scientific name for coyote is Canis latrans, which means barking dog in Latin.
Coyote parents may supply live mice to their pups for hunting practice.
 The coyote's keen intelligence and senses help it adapt to many different habitats:
forests, deserts, prairies, mountains, suburbs, cities, and even golf courses.
 Coyotes are native only to North America. Female coyotes select den sites and give birth
from 1 to 12 pups in spring. Both parents care for the pups. Parents chew food and
swallow it. Then they bring it up again to feed the pups.

14. Frogs
AMPHIBIANS
Arizona Tree Frog
The Arizona Tree Frog or Mountain Frog was designated the state amphibian of Arizona in 1986.
Range: Found in the mountains of central Arizona and western New Mexico, The Arizona frog inhabits oak, pine and fir forests
above 5,000 feet elevations.
Anatomy: The Tree Frog is only 3/4" to 2" long. It is usually green but can also be gold to bronze in color (with a whitish belly).
Arizona tree frogs have a dark stripe that starts at the snout, runs through the eye, and extends along its body to just before the
rear legs. It may also have spots or bars on its back. Primarily nocturnal and spending most of the year inactive.
Diet: Tree Frogs eat insects, shrubs, or dense grass around water.

15. Catfish
Yaqui Catfish
Almost no information is available on this species, but its life history is
presumed to be similar to that of the channel catfish.
Anatomy: Yaqui catfish reach almost 2 feet long. This species has 4 pairs of
whiskers. It has a soft fins. It is a silver-tan to goldish above, transitioning to
silver or silver-white below.
Range: This is a fish of the Río Yaqui and Río Casas Grandes drainages of
northwestern Mexico and extreme southeastern Arizona. It is a rare fish in
Arizona due to limited range, it is protected in the United States as a
Threatened Species.
Habitat: The Yaqui catfish prefers quiet water over sand-rock substrates.
Diet: Catfish tend to be nocturnal and feed upon aquatic invertebrates while
young. When they reach 4 inches in length they begin to also feed on algae and
small to medium sized fishes.

16. Quiz
Amphibians
Mammals
Insects
Fish
Arachnids
Birds

17. Standards
Science
Strand 4: Life Science
Concept 1: Characteristics of Organisms
Understand that basic structures in plants and animals serve a function.
PO 2. Classify animals by identifiable group characteristics:
• vertebrates – mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians
• invertebrates – insects, arachnids
Arizona Educational Technology Standards
Strand 1: Creativity and Innovation
Concept 1: Knowledge and Ideas
PO 1. Evaluate information to generate ideas and processes.
Example: Students will investigate a topic (e.g. animal habitats, adaptations, ecosystems.)
NETS for Students
4.Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

18. References
 http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Turtle-Amphibs-Subpages/h-a-
microscaphus.html toads
 http://wc.pima.edu/Bfiero/tucson
ecology/animals/arth_scorpions.htm scorpions
 http://www.desertusa.com/may97/du_coati2.html coatimundis
 http://www.SouthwestWildlife.org tarantulas
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elf_Owl owls
 http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature
/coyote/ coyotes
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wikie catfish, skunks, frogs, mountain
lions, and fireflies
 http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/bats.ph
bats