Identification of Tennessee Anurans
Hyla versicolor
Matthew J. Gray, Ph.D. College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Suborder Suborder Mesobatrachia Anuran Families Neobatrachia Order Anura Bufonidae Scaphiopodidae Microhylidae
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True Toads American Spadefoots Narrow-mouthed Toads Hylidae Ranidae
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Tree Frogs True Frogs
Morphological Characteristics
Ranidae, Hylidae
Bufonidae
Granular glands
1 Family American toad Bufonidae (Bufo americanus) Eggs: 1-2 strings (4,000-12,000 eggs) >10 m length Breeding Call •Long, musical trill (constant)
Breeding Season •Early (March) Characteristics: SVL = 3” • Parotoid glands rarely touch cranial crest • 1-2 granular glands “warts” per dark spot
Family American toad Bufonidae (Bufo americanus)
Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Eastern United States • Statewide
Family Fowler’s toad Bufonidae (Bufo fowleri) Eggs: 1-2 strings (5,000-10,000 eggs) <3 m length Breeding Call
•Nasal "w-a-a-h" •Sheep blea ting or baby crying Breeding Season
•Mid (May) Characteristics: SVL = 2.5” • Parotoid glands touch cranial crest • >3 granular glands “warts” per dark spot
2 Family Fowler’s toad Bufonidae (Bufo fowleri) Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Eastern United States • Statewide
Family Eastern spadefoot Scaphiopodidae (Scaphiopus holbrookii)
Metatarsal tubercle Breeding Call •Nasal grunts: “wahh,,, wahh, wahh” •Young crow Breeding Season T-storms SVL = 2” •Late (June,July) Characteristics: (heavy rain) • Vertical Pupil • Granular glands but no parotoid glands
Family Eastern spadefoot Xeric Adapted Scaphiopodidae (Scaphiopus holbrookii) Genera Distribution: EM-S
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Southeastern United States • Statewide (rare Smokies)
3 Family Eastern Microhylidae narrow-mouthed toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis)
Breeding Call •High pitch buzz “bzzzzzz” •Insect wings T-storms Breeding Season
SVL = 1” •Late (June, July) Characteristics: (heavy rain) • Pointed snout, short limbs, plump body • Folded skin between eyes
Family Eastern Microhylidae narrow-mouthed toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis) Distribution: EM-S
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Southeastern United States • Statewide (rare Smokies)
Specialize in eating ants!
Family Northern Hylidae cricket frog (Acris crepitans)
Breeding Call •Metallic clicking Breeding Season (2 metal balls) •Tempo changes: •Mid (May) (slow-fast-slow)
SVL = <1” Characteristics: • Dark triangle between eyes; often bright “Y” racing stripe • >1/2 of longest toe on rear feet webbed
4 Family Northern Emergent wetlands with Hylidae cricket frog direct sun (Acris crepitans) Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Midwest and Eastern U.S. • Statewide
Family Southern Acris = locust gryllus = cricket Hylidae cricket frog (Acris gryllus)
Breeding Call •Metallic clicking Breeding Season (2 metal balls) •Raspier, shorter •Late (June, July) •Tempo constant
SVL = <1” Characteristics: • Dark triangle between eyes; often bright “Y” racing stripe (more distinct line than A. crepitans) • <1/2 of longest toe on rear feet webbed
Family Southern Hylidae cricket frog (Acris gryllus) Distribution: EM/F
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Deep Southern U.S. • Southwest TN
5 Family Bird-voiced Highly arboreal: forested Hylidae treefrog wetlands and (Hyla avivoca) streams
Breeding Call •Bird-like Chirping Breeding Season •Whistling for dog •Mid (May, June)
SVL = 1.5”
Characteristics: Coloration can be highly variable! • Light green or gray with light-colored patch under eye • No flash colors like gray treefrogs
Family Bird-voiced Hylidae treefrog (Hyla avivoca) Distribution: F
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Primarily MAV • Western TN
Family Green treefrog Hylidae (Hyla cinerea)
Breeding Call •Short nasal repeating Breeding Season "quonk" •Bicycle horn •Late (June, July)
Characteristics: SVL = 2” • Always green, smooth back and belly • White-yellow stripe extending from upper lip mid-laterally
6 Family Green treefrog Good climbers, Nocturnal Hylidae (Hyla cinerea)
Distribution: F
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Southeastern United States • Western TN
Family Cope’s Gray Hylidae treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) Breeding Call
•Short raspy trill (constant) •½ chromosomes of H. versicolor •Faster than H. versicolor 34-69 pulses/sec Breeding Season
•Mid (May, June) Highly arboreal: forested wetlands Characteristics: SVL = 2” • Gray to greenish with mottled back • Yellow-orange flash colors under legs
Family Cope’s Gray Hylidae treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) Distribution: F
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/
• Eastern United States • Statewide
7 Family Gray treefrog Hylidae (Hyla versicolor)
Breeding Call •Short raspy trill Breeding Season •Slower than H. chlihrysoscelis •Mid (May, June) 17-35 pulses/sec •2X chromosomes of H. chrysoscelis Distribution •West Tennessee Characteristics: SVL = 2” Species of • Gray to greenish with mottled back Concern • Yellow-orange flash colors under legs (G5, S5)
Family Barking Hylidae treefrog (Hyla gratiosa)
Breeding Call
•Steady raspy honk Breeding Season •Sounds similar to a beagle •Late (June, July) bark or Canada goose •Higher pitch than green frog Largest of the treefrogs in Tennessee Characteristics: SVL = 2-3” • Solid green (granulated) or green with dark spots • White upper lip does not extend mid-laterally
Family Barking Species of Hylidae treefrog Concern (Hyla gratiosa) (G5, S3) Distribution: F
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Deep Southern U.S. Males often • West TN & call from Cumberland Plateau water
8 Family Spring Peeper Hylidae (Pseudacris crucifer)
Breeding Call
•Clear Distinct Peep Breeding Season
•Early (Feb, March) “Cross bearer” Prefers Characteristics: SVL = 1” woodland pools
• Light-brown, smooth skin with dark line between eyes • Dark cross on back
Family Spring Peeper Hylidae (Pseudacris crucifer)
Distribution: F/EM-S
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Eastern United States • Statewide
Family Mountain Chorus Frog Hylidae (Pseudacris brachyphona)
Breeding Call
•Short, raspy call that Breeding Season riiithises in pitch •Running finger over •Early (April) comb but duller than P. feriarum 1/3 size of a Characteristics: SVL = 1” wood frog
• Light-brown, smooth skin with dark line through eye • Backward parentheses on back (sometimes)
9 Family Mountain Chorus Frog Hylidae (Pseudacris brachyphona)
Forested wetlands >1000 m elevation Distribution: F/EM-S
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Southern Appalachia • Mostly Cumberland Mountains and Plateau
Family Southeastern Chorus Frog Hylidae (Pseudacris feriarum)
Breeding Call Earliest breeding frog •Running finger over combbb bu t more metallic than P. brachyphona SVL = 1” Note: call rises (gray treefrogs do not) Breeding Season Characteristics: •Early (January)
• Light to dark brown with dark triangle between eyes • Three dark dorsal lines (usually)
Family Southeastern Chorus Frog Hylidae (Pseudacris feriarum)
Distribution: EM-S
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Southeastern United States • Statewide
10 Chorus Frog Distributions
Spotted Chorus Frog (P. clarkii)
Family Crawfish Frog Ranidae (Rana areolata) Lives in crawfish and small mammal burrows. Breeding Call
•Deep "Waaaaa" Breeding Season •Sounds like •Early (March) someone snoring
SVL = 2.5” Species of Concern Characteristics: (G4, S4)
• Dark spots encircled in white, white throat • Dorsal lateral folds very apparent
Family Crawfish Frog Known to eat crawfish and Ranidae (Rana areolata) small amphibians. Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Mississippi Alluvial Valley • West Tennessee
11 Family Gopher Frog Ranidae (Rana capito)
•Sometimes calls Breeding Call from beneath water
•Deep drawn-out Breeding Season snore or growl •Sounds like a •Early (Feb) woodpecker pecking SVL = 3” Species of Concern Characteristics: (G3, S1)
• Dark spots NOT encircled in white, spotted throat • Dorsal lateral folds & sacral humps apparent
Gopher Frog Life History in Family Tennessee is Ranidae (Rana capito) Unknown
EM Distribution: Rarest anuran in Tennessee 1993: Dr. Brian Miller
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Gulf Coastal Plain • Coffee County (Tullahoma)
Family American bullfrog Ranidae (Rana catesbeiana)
Largest frog in Breeding Call Tennessee
•loud deep Eat anything "jug-o-rum" can fit in mouth •Often play dead when handled SVL = 5” Breeding Season Characteristics: •Late (June, July)
• Green or brown with dorsal lateral folds around tympanum • Males: Tympanum larger than eye
12 Family American bullfrog Ranidae (Rana catesbeiana)
Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Eastern U.S. (introduced western states) • Statewide
Family Green frog Ranidae (Rana clamitans)
Breeding Call
•Short, explosive Breeding Season "l"glun k" •LtLate (J une, J Jl)uly) •Banjo string being plucked SVL = 3” •Lower pitch than barking treefrog Characteristics: • Green or brown with dorsal lateral folds extending past tympanum, center of tympanum raised • Males: Tympanum larger than eye
Family Green frog Ranidae (Rana clamitans)
Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Eastern United States • Statewide
13 Family Pickerel frog Ranidae (Rana palustris)
Breeding Call •Sounds like opening a •Drawn-out, creaky door ddidescending snore, "yeeeeeoooow" •Not as deep as R. areolata and capito SVL = 2.5” Breeding Season Characteristics: •Early (April)
• Tan with dark paired dorsal spots (square) • No white spot on tympanum
Family Pickerel frog Ranidae (Rana palustris)
Distribution: EM
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Eastern United States (excluding Gulf Coast) • Statewide (less common in west TN)
Family Southern leopard frog Ranidae (Rana sphenocephala)
Breeding Call •Series of clucks or chuckles •Also, groans similar to rubbing hand over a balloon SVL = 2.5” Breeding Season Characteristics: •Early (Feb, March)
• Tan with dark dorsal spots in irregular pattern • White spot on tympanum
14 Family Southern leopard frog Ranidae (Rana sphenocephala) Escapes predators by Distribution: EM swimming underwater
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Southeastern U.S. • Statewide (not common in Smokies)
Family Wood frog Ranidae (Rana sylvatica)
Bi-colored Embryos Black (above), white (below) Breeding Call Forested •Series of clucks or wetlands chuckles (mallard) often before •Interspersed with ice is gone low grunts SVL = 2” Breeding Season Characteristics: •Early (February)
• Tan dark mask below and behind eye • White upper lip
Family Wood frog Ranidae (Rana sylvatica)
Distribution: F
http://www.apsu.edu/amatlas/ • Northeastern U.S. • Middle & East TN
15 Seasonal Occurrence Tennessee Anurans
January: southeastern chorus frog February: wood frog, spring peeper, gopher frog March: American toad, southern leopard frog, crawfish frog
April: pickerel frog, mountain chorus frog
May: Fowler’s toad, northern cricket frog, gray treefrogs, bird-voiced treefrog
June/July: green frog, American bullfrog, southern cricket frog, eastern narrow-mouthed toad, eastern spadefoot, barking treefrog, green treefrog
August-Dec: possible to hear most species especially after rains and on warm days in fall and winter, although breeding for temperate anurans is concentrated January-July.
Citations and Helpful Websites Identification Texts • Conant, R., J. T. Collins. 1998. Peterson field guides: reptiles and amphibians: Eastern/Central North America. 3rd edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY, USA. • Dodd, C. K. Jr. 2004. The amphibians of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, TN, USA. Pictures • USGS- Checklist of amphibian species and identification guide http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/herps/amphibid/index.htm
Pictures and Calls • LEAPS-Environmental Consulting http://www.leaps.ms/ • Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Frogs and Toads of TN) http://www.state.tn.us/twra/tamp/frogs.html • Frog and Toads of North Carolina http://www.bio.davidson.edu/projects/herpcons/herps_of_NC/anurans/anurans.html
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