Utah Species Field Guide
Welcome to the Field Guide for Utah Species, a database maintained by the Utah Natural Heritage Program. This guide is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all species found in Utah, and currently prioritizes our state's 256 native species of greatest conservation need as identified in Utah's Wildlife Action Plan.
This guide provides information on the identification, distribution, status and ecology of Utah's most at-risk animals and plants. As time and funding allow, this database will include all native Utah species.
To find a specific species, enter it in the search bar or use the breadcrumb menu below.
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Animals (Animalia)Expand submenu
Multicellular organisms that develop from the fertilization of an egg by a sperm. Heterotrophic - obtain food by ingestion.
Vertebrates (Craniata)Expand submenu
Have skulls and backbones.
Birds (Aves)Expand submenu
Have feathers and lay eggs
Hawks / Kites / Eagles (Accipitriformes)Expand submenu
Vultures / Condors (Cathartiformes)Expand submenu
Shorebirds (Charadriiformes)Expand submenu
Cuckoos (Cuculiformes)Expand submenu
Upland Game Birds (Galliformes)Expand submenu
Songbirds (Passeriformes)Expand submenu
Pelicans / Herons / Bitterns / Ibises (Pelecaniformes)Expand submenu
Woodpeckers (Piciformes)Expand submenu
Owls (Strigiformes)Expand submenu
Amphibians (Amphibia)Expand submenu
Mammals (Mammalia)Expand submenu
Have hair, feed young milk, warm blooded.
Fish (Actinopterygii)Expand submenu
Use gills to breathe
Minnows / Suckers (Cypriniformes)Expand submenu
LeuciscidaeExpand submenu
- Northern Leatherside (Lepidomeda copei)
- Least Chub (Iotichthys phlegethontis)
- Woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus)
- Humpback Chub (Gila cypha)
- Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius)
- Virgin Spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis)
- Virgin River Chub (Gila seminuda)
- Roundtail Chub (Gila robusta)
- Southern Leatherside (Lepidomeda aliciae)
- Bonytail (Gila elegans)
Suckers (Catostomidae)Expand submenu
Perch / Sticklebacks (Perciformes)Expand submenu
Salmon / Trout (Salmoniformes)Expand submenu
Reptiles (Reptilia)Expand submenu
Cold blooded, lay eggs on land
Turtles (Chelonia)Expand submenu
Mollusks (Mollusca)Expand submenu
Soft bodied animals with an internal or external shell and a toothed tongue or radula. Have a mantle that lines and secretes the shell and a muscular foot that allows for movement.
Snails / Slugs (Gastropoda)Expand submenu
Usually have chambered shells.
Aquatic Snails (Basommatophora)Expand submenu
LittorinimorphaExpand submenu
Amnicolas / Duskysnails (Hydrobiidae)Expand submenu
- Bear Lake Springsnail (Pyrgulopsis pilsbryana)
- Otter Creek Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis fusca)
- Bifid Duct Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis peculiaris)
- Nuwuvi Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis nuwuvi)
- Carinate Glenwood Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis inopinata)
- Desert Springsnail (Pyrgulopsis deserta)
- Black Canyon Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis plicata)
- Smooth Glenwood Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis chamberlini)
- Sub-globose Snake Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis saxatilis)
- Santa Clara Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis santaclarensis)
- Longitudinal Gland Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis anguina)
- Lindahl's Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis lindahlae)
- Pine Grove Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis pinetorum)
- Northwest Bonneville Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis variegata)
- Hamlin Valley Pyrg (Pyrgulopsis hamlinensis)
CochliopidaeExpand submenu
AmnicolidaeExpand submenu
LithoglyphidaeExpand submenu
Mussels / Clams (Bivalvia)Expand submenu
Two hinged lateral shells and a wedged shaped "foot". Bivalves lack tentacles and a head.
Arthropods (Arthropoda)Expand submenu
Invertebrates with an exoskeleton, jointed appendages, and segmented bodies
Insects (Insecta)Expand submenu
Animals having 3 pair of legs, 3 body sections, generally 1 or 2 pair of wings, 1 pair of antennae.
Plants (Plantae)Expand submenu
Multicellular organisms that are autotrophic or make complex carbohydrates from basic constituents. Most use photosynthesis.
Flowering Plants (Anthophyta)Expand submenu
Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed in an ovary
Dicots (Dicotyledoneae)Expand submenu
Parsley / Ginseng (Apiales)Expand submenu
Aster/Sunflowers (Asterales)Expand submenu
Aster/Sunflowers (Asteraceae)Expand submenu
- Joanna's thistle (Cirsium joannae)
- Cronquist Daisy (Erigeron cronquistii)
- Garrett's Fleabane (Erigeron garrettii)
- La Sal Daisy (Erigeron mancus)
- Untermann's Daisy (Erigeron untermannii)
- Barneby's Rockaster (Herrickia kingii var. barnebyana)
- Jones Golden-aster (Heterotheca jonesii)
- Alcove Rock-daisy (Laphamia specicola)
- Musinea Groundsel (Packera musiniensis)
- La Sal Mountains' Groundsel (Senecio inexpectatus)
- Last Chance Townsendia (Townsendia aprica)
- Sigurd Easter Daisy (Townsendia jonesii var. lutea)
- Rock Hymenoxys (Hymenoxys lapidicola)
- Beaver Mountain Groundsel (Packera castoreus)
- Entrada Skeletonplant (Lygodesmia grandiflora var. entrada)
- Western Townsend-daisy (Townsendia mensana)
Mustards/Capers (Capparales)Expand submenu
Mustards (Brassicaceae)Expand submenu
- Creeping Draba (Draba sobolifera)
- Grouse Creek Rockcress (Boechera falcatoria)
- Burke's Whitlow-grass (Draba burkei)
- Uinta Mountains draba (Draba inexpectata)
- Maguire's Whitlow-grass (Draba maguirei ssp. maguirei)
- Schell Creek draba (Draba pennellii)
- Mount Belknap Draba (Draba ramulosa)
- Clay Reed-mustard (Hesperidanthus argillaceus)
- Barneby's Reed-Mustard (Hesperidanthus barnebyi)
- Shrubby Reed-mustard (Hesperidanthus suffrutescens)
- Barneby Ridgecress (Lepidium barnebyanum)
- Huber's Pepperplant (Lepidium huberi)
- Ostler Peppergrass (Lepidium ostleri)
- Garrett Bladderpod (Lesquerella garrettii)
- Kodachrome Bladderpod (Physaria tumulosa)
- Frisco Mountains mustard (Terraria haydenii)
- Snowbasin Rockcress (Boechera glareosa)
CapparaceaeExpand submenu
Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)Expand submenu
Peas (Fabales)Expand submenu
Pea Family (Fabaceae)Expand submenu
- Pohl's Milkvetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. pohlii)
- Shivwits Milkvetch (Astragalus ampullarioides)
- Paradox Milkvetch (Astragalus holmgreniorum)
- Ann Kelsey’s milkvetch (Astragalus kelseyae)
- Navajo Lake Milkvetch (Astragalus limnocharis var. limnocharis)
- Table Cliff Milkvetch (Astragalus limnocharis var. tabulaeus)
- Heliotrope Milkvetch (Astragalus montii)
- Guard Milkvetch (Astragalus zionis var. vigulus)
- Mesic Milkvetch (Astragalus diversifolius)
- Avon Milkvetch (Astragalus praelongus var. avonensis)
- Rollin's Sweetvetch (Hedysarum boreale var. gremiale)
- Isely's Milkvetch (Astragalus iselyi)
- Goose Creek Milkvetch (Astragalus anserinus)
- Gumbo Milkvetch (Astragalus ampullarius)
- Horseshoe Milkvetch (Astragalus equisolensis)
- Cisco Milkvetch (Astragalus sabulosus)
- Barneby's Aromatic Scurf-pea (Pediomelum aromaticum var. barnebyi)
- Cronquist Milkvetch (Astragalus cronquistii)
- Hamilton's Milkvetch (Astragalus hamiltonii)
- Glenwood Milkvetch (Astragalus loanus)
- Stage Station Milkvetch (Astragalus vehiculus)
- Kane Breadroot (Pediomelum megalanthum var. epipsilum)
- Tuhy Aromatic Scurf-pea (Pediomelum aromaticum var. tuhyi)
- Deseret Milkvetch (Astragalus desereticus)
Dogbane / Gentian / Milkweed (Gentianales)Expand submenu
Borage / Mint / Verbena (Lamiales)Expand submenu
Mallow (Malvales)Expand submenu
Evening-primrose / Loosestrife (Myrtales)Expand submenu
Fumary / Poppy (Papaverales)Expand submenu
Buckwheats (Polygonales)Expand submenu
Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae)Expand submenu
- Ibex Buckwheat (Eriogonum ammophilum)
- Kaye's Wild Buckwheat (Eriogonum artificis)
- Comb Wash Wild Buckwheat (Eriogonum clavellatum)
- Gate Canyon Buckwheat (Eriogonum hylophilum)
- Scarlet Buckwheat (Eriogonum microtheca var. phoeniceum)
- Lost Creek Buckwheat (Eriogonum mitophyllum)
- Smith's Buckwheat (Eriogonum smithii)
- Frisco Buckwheat (Eriogonum soredium)
- Zion Buckwheat (Eriogonum zionis var. zionis)
Primroses (Primulales)Expand submenu
Barberry / Buttercup (Ranunculales)Expand submenu
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)Expand submenu
- Graham's Columbine (Aquilegia grahamii)
- Noel's columbine (Aquilegia holmgrenii)
- Lori's Columbine (Aquilegia loriae)
- Link Trail Columbine (Aquilegia rubicunda)
- Autumn Buttercup (Ranunculus aestivalis)
- Desolation Canyon Columbine (Aquilegia desolaticola)
- Goodrich's Columbine (Aquilegia scopulorum var. goodrichii)
Buckthorn / Grapes (Rhamnales)Expand submenu
Rosales (Rosales)Expand submenu
Scrophulariales (Scrophulariales)Expand submenu
Broomrape Family (Orobanchaceae)Expand submenu
Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)Expand submenu
- Firleaf Beardtongue (Penstemon abietinus)
- Stemless Beardtongue (Penstemon acaulis)
- White River Beardtongue (Penstemon albifluvis)
- Canaan Mountain Beardtongue (Penstemon ammophilus)
- Bear River Range Beardtongue (Penstemon compactus)
- Gibben's Beardtongue (Penstemon gibbensii)
- Graham's Beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii)
- Idaho Penstemon (Penstemon idahoensis)
- Marcus Jones' Penstemon (Penstemon marcusii)
- Sweet Penstemon (Penstemon angustifolius var. dulcis)
- Ben's Beardtongue (Penstemon franklinii)
- Pinyon Penstemon (Penstemon pinorum)
- Goodrich Penstemon (Penstemon goodrichii)
Solanales (Solanales)Expand submenu
Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)Expand submenu
- Clay Phacelia (Phacelia argillacea)
- Argyle Canyon Phacelia (Phacelia argylensis)
- Cronquist's Phacelia (Phacelia cronquistiana)
- Drab Phacelia (Phacelia indecora)
- Atwood's Pretty (Phacelia pulchella var. atwoodii)
- Pavement Phacelia (Phacelia sabulonum)
- Utah Phacelia (Phacelia utahensis)
- Hughes's phacelia (Phacelia hughesii)
Violales (Violales)Expand submenu
Monocots (Monocotyledoneae)Expand submenu