herpetology practical amphibians

frog distinguishing characteristics

Gastrophryne carolinensis

lack parotoid glands, warts and tympanum

Microhylidae

lack tympanum, small, plump

pelobatidae

spade on hind feet

spea holbrooki holbrooki

spade on hind feet 

bufonidae

toads

anaxyrus americanus

crania crests are separated from parotoid glands

anaxyrus fowleri

cranial crests touch parotid glands

anaxyrus terrestris

pronounced knobs on cranial crests, smaller black spots on belly than americanus 

Anaxyrus quercicus

small, many small warts, light mid dorsal stripe, gray belly, throats of males gets darker during breeding

Hylidae

adhesive discs, treefrogs

dryophytes

large adhesion discs, more traditional tree frogs

Dryphytes versicolor

gray treefrog, tetraploid, more northern, slower lower call

dryophytes chrysoscelis

diploid, more southern, higher call

Dryophytes cinereus

green, with yellow spots, may have white / cream mid lateral stripe, cream belly, no thigh stripe

Dryophytes squirellus

green to brown may have spots, white line on upper lip, shoulder ,and side of body, lack of light spot under eye, x on back, and spotting on thigh

Dryophytes femoralis

red-brown, irregular dark marks, dark band through eye and tympanum, belly is white to pink with tubercules

Dryophytes gratiosus

green with darker spots on back, belly is light with yellow on throat chest and sides

pseudacris

first breeders, less webbing and adhesion discs, live on forest floors

Pseudacris Feriarum

light line along upper lip hard to see on specimen, light spots on back

Pseudacris Crucifer

x on back

Pseudacris  Brachyphona

) (  on back, darker than crucifer

Pseudacris  Brimleyi

dark stripe through eye, three on back

Pseudacris  Ocularis

tiny, dark stripe through eye

Pseudacris  Nigrita

dark spots in three rows

acris  Crepitans

very pointed nose

acris Gryllus

grill mark on back thigh

Ranidae

long legged, narrow waisted

Lithobates Catesbeianus

large, dorsolateral fold bends around eardrum  

Lithobates Clamitans

large dorsolateral fold estends down back  

Lithobates Palustris

large dorsolateral folds, square markings on back legs

Lithobates Sphenocephalus

roundish spots on back leg  

Lithobates Sylvatica

dark mask through eyes not on specimen  

Lithobates Virgatipes

4 dorsolateral stripes, dark and light stripes on back of thigh, mottled belly, more stocky than other lithobates 

Lithobates Kauffeldi

more rounded nose, back of thigh dark