Southern White Mountains

Tollhouse Spring (Fig. 10.7) is the only source of permanent surface water along the Westgard Pass road (Hwy. 168). There is a fairly extensive area of riparian vegetation around the spring. The Pinyon-juniper Woodland starts just above the spring. A wide, gravelly, boulder-strewn wash below the spring separates the rocky lower slopes of the Inyo Mountains to the south from the White Mountains to the north.

Amphibians

Western Toad (Bufo boreas ). Both nocturnal and diurnal; breeds in stream below Tollhouse Spring; may be extinct.

Black Toad (Bufo exsul ). Diurnal except during heat of midsummer; introduced to Tollhouse Spring; may be extinct.

Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana ). Nocturnal; expected but not confirmed from Tollhouse Spring; known to occur nearby.

Lizards

Panamint Alligator Lizard (Elgaria panamintina ). Usually diurnal but sometimes active after dusk; may climb in vegetation in search of food; sometimes on road at dusk.

Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus ). Nocturnal; commonly observed at night on road below spring at around 5,000 ft (1,520 m) elevation.

Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides ). Diurnal; occurs in sandy or gravelly washes.

Great Basin Collard Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores ). Diurnal; basks on boulders.

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii ). Diurnal; basks on small rocks and under bushes in wash.

Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos ). Diurnal; occurs in wash; may bask on small rocks.

Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus ). Diurnal; occurs from Tollhouse Spring up into Pinyon-juniper Woodland.

Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister ). Diurnal; basks on rocks and tree trunks.

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis ). Diurnal; basks on rocks, logs, and tree trunks; most common lizard from Tollhouse Spring up into Pinyon-juniper Woodland.

Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana ). Diurnal; most common in wash below spring.

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Figure 10.7
Vicinity of Tollhouse Spring, Westgard Pass, southern White Mountains

Gilbert Skink (Eumeces gilberti ). Diurnal but secretive; occurs in riparian vegetation around Tollhouse Spring.

Western Whiptail (Cnemidophorus tigris ). Diurnal; most common around bushes in wash below spring.

Desert Night Lizard (Xantusis vigilis ). Diurnal but secretive; active under cover objects such as logs and rocks.

Snakes

Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata ). Nocturnal; relatively common on road at night below Tollhouse Spring.

Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula ). Diurnal during spring and fall, nocturnal in heat of midsummer; very common around Tollhouse Spring.

Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum ). Diurnal; present in all habitats but most common in wash.

Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus ). Diurnal; occurs in all habitats.

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer ). Diurnal during spring and fall, nocturnal during heat of summer; commonly seen on road around Tollhouse Spring.

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei ). Nocturnal; occasionally seen crossing road below Tollhouse Spring.

Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis ). Diurnal; most common in sandy or gravelly washes.

Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata ). Nocturnal; active in early evening; during the day, expected under rocks around spring.

Southern Black-headed Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi ). Nocturnal; two records from about 5,500 ft (1,680 m) elevation on road below spring and 6,500 ft (1.980 m) on road above spring.

Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes ). Usually nocturnal; occurs in all habitats at lower elevations below spring but most common in sandy areas.

Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii ). Both nocturnal and diurnal; occurs in all habitats around Tollhouse Spring.