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Mountain Frogs the Cascades Are Home to a Variety of Fascinating Frogs from Their Nose Across Their Llister Eyes to Their Shoulders, and a C

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Mountain Frogs the Cascades Are Home to a Variety of Fascinating Frogs from Their Nose Across Their Llister Eyes to Their Shoulders, and a C Critters, Rocks & Green Things Mountain Frogs The Cascades are home to a variety of fascinating frogs from their nose across their LLISTER eyes to their shoulders, and A C M a “Y” shaped mark on the ELLY K top of their heads. They are small—less than 2 inches in length—with long legs for their size. The male has a darker throat than the female. The Northern red-legged frog is much bigger than the Pacific tree frog, reaching 4 to 5 inches in length. This little fellow is conspicuously rusty, reddish-brown with pronounced folds running along both sides of its back from eyes to tail. It has big, bulgy eyes and the webbing on its longest toe does not extend past the first joint. The groin area—if you happen to get that close Contrary to its name, the Pacific tree frog isn’t limited to trees. The 2-inch- to see it—is mottled black long frog is found across the state in all but the driest and coldest of habitats. on white. The rana aurora has By Janice Van Cleve detected even during mild winters. powerful legs capable of significant leaps. Pacific tree frogs are most easily In fact, its cousin, the rana draytoni, is Most folks don’t usually think of moun- identified by the sticky pads on their thought to be the frog Mark Twain spoke tains when they think of frog habitat, fingers and toes, a dark line that extends of in his tale of the “Leaping Frog of but the Cascades are loaded with these cute little amphibians. Chances are, if LLISTER you were hiking this summer and saw A C one, it was a Pacific tree frog (pseudac- M ELLY ris regilla), a Northern red-legged frog K (rana aurora), or a Cascades frog (rana cascadae). Contrary to their common name, Pacific tree frogs tend to be found on the ground or in shrubbery in all but the driest and coldest habitats. They breed almost anywhere—wetlands, ditches, seasonal pools, even deep tire ruts! Their tadpoles are usually the most common amphibian larvae at any breeding site. Some are so precocious that they can breed again right after metamorphosis! No wonder they range all over Wash- ington State, from the Pacific coast to The northern red-legged frog reaches 4 to 5 inches in Walla Walla and their “ribbits” have been length and is conspicuously rusty, reddish-brown in color. November/December 2007 WASHINGTON TRAILS 1 Critters, Rocks & Green Things to its body and full web- LLISTER A bing on the toes. The C M Columbia spotted frog ELLY K prefers higher elevations between 2,000 and 4,500 feet, very near ponds and streams. The common Bullfrog (rana catesbei- ana) is a lowlands dweller in lakes and wetlands all over the state. Often while hiking, my first indication of a frog is when it leaps off the path. I’ve found them on the steepest slopes and relatively far from water. These adventur- ous little creatures seem happy to roam all over the mountains as long The Cascades frog, from 3 to 4 inches long, prefers open conifer forests as there is thick low-ly- above 2,000 feet of elevation and is often found near mountain streams. ing vegetation about. I Calaveras County.” frogs in Washington State and a num- always count it as good This frog is found all over Western ber of toads as well. Okanagan, Ferry, luck to find one on the trail. A mountain Washington in lowlands and foothills Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties are frog just seems to symbolize that it’s go- below 3,500 feet. It is more picky than home to the Columbia spotted frog (rana ing to be a good day. the Pacific tree frog about its breeding luteiventris). This is a big, dark frog Janice Van Cleve is a Fireside Circle grounds, preferring still waters. After with upturned eyes and black spots with member of WTA. She lives in Seattle. breeding, it may migrate up to half a ragged edges. It has shorter legs relative mile to seek out a nice, wet RD rivulet or creek side for the A EON L summer. In Washington, AM the Northern red-legged ILLI frog hibernates. W Another common frog which ranges all over the Cascade mountains is— appropriately enough— named the Cascades frog (rana cascadae). This is a 3- to 4-inch-long brown frog with black spots. It should not be confused with the Northern leopard frog (rana pipiens), which is found around Moses Lake. The Cascades frog prefers higher elevations above 2,000 feet in open coniferous forests, usually along running mountain streams. Its voice is a low, grating, clucking sound. The Columbia spotted frog is found in northeast Washington between There are several other 2,000 and 4,500 feet of elevation. You’ll see it near ponds and streams. 2 WASHINGTON TRAILS November/December 2007.
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