Chapter 3 - Natural Resources - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MCB Camp Pendleton, California
The final rule designating approximately 11,695 ac in 6 units as critical habitat for the
arroyo toad was published on 13 April 2005 (USFWS 2005b). All essential lands in two
units that include portions of Camp Pendleton: Unit 11- San Mateo Creek and San Onofre
Creek Basins, San Diego and Orange Counties and Unit 12- Lower Santa Margarita River
Basin, San Diego County, were either excluded from critical habitat designation under
Section 4(b)(2) or Section 4(a)(3) of the ESA. A recovery plan has been approved for this
species (USFWS 1999a).
On 13 October 2009, a revised critical habitat designation totaling 109,110 acres in
Monterey, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and
San Diego Counties was proposed but not been finalized by the USFWS. All lands within
MCB Camp Pendleton (including the leased lands) were excluded from the proposed
revised critical habitat designation due to the benefits afforded to the arroyo toad by the
management measures described in the approved INRMP (USFWS 2009i).
Since the toad was listed, analysis of allozyme data has been found to support the
recognition of Bufo californicus as a separate species from Bufo microscaphus, and
phylogenetic analysis of comparative anatomical and molecular genetic data for
amphibians found that the Nearctic taxa of Bufo should be separated and renamed as the
genus Anaxyrus. In turn, Bufo californicus was renamed Anaxyrus californicus. The revised
scientific name has been accepted by the Committee on Standard English and Scientific
Names of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Herpetologists'
League, and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, however, official
recognition by the USFWS has been proposed, but not finalized (USFWS 2009i).
California Status
The CDFG listed the arroyo toad as a species of special concern in California (CDFG
2005).
Regional Status
The arroyo toad is a covered species in the following southern California NCCP
documents:
• Coachella Valley Multi-Species HCP.
• MHCP, City of Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan.
• MSCP, City of Chula Vista Subarea Plan.
• MSCP, City of La Mesa Subarea Plan.
• MSCP, City of Poway Subarea Plan.
• MSCP, City of San Diego Subarea Plan.
• MSCP, County of San Diego Subarea Plan.
• Orange County Central/Coastal NCCP/HCP.
• Orange County Southern Subregion NCCP/HCP.
• SDG&E.
• Western Riverside MSHCP.
3-64 Chapter 3 – Natural Resources