fl's native frogs

amplexus

the breeding “embrace” of frogs and many salamanders

global species diversity of amphibians

approx 8900 sp of amphibians

-frogs: ~7830 sp & 55 fams

-salamanders: ~825 sp, 10 fams

-caecilian: ~225 sp, 10 fams

fl species diversity of amphibians

approx 60 sp (including several introduced sp)

-frogs: ~30 sp & 7 fams (4 introduced sp breeding)

-salamanders: ~30 sp & 6 fams (all native)

-caecilians: 1 introduced sp breeding

family bufonidae - toads characteristics

-’dry’, rough, warty skin

-stout bodied

-parotoid glands present (toxin)

-very reduced rear-toe webbing

-no teeth (no teeth in lower jaw of anurans)

-toad pee= warts?

-one introduced sp of toad

*all toads are frogs- a toad is just a particular kind of frog

southern toad identification

brown, gray, reddish color; very patterned back; warty skin; cranial crests

southern toad habitats/range

flatwoods, sandhills, scrub, hammocks, suburban settings; ditches, retention ponds, isolated wetlands, oxbows, river margins; all state

southern toad other info

commonly seen on sidewalks on damp warm nights, prominent parotoid glands, distasteful to pets but not harmful

oak toad identification

usually gray to brown w dark blotches, light stripe down back, parotoid glands, low cranial crests, orange feet, FL’s smallest toad (max SVL =1.5 in)

oak toad habitats/range

flatwoods, sandhill, scrub, isolated wetlands that lack predatory fishes, ditches, swales; all state

other oak toad info

a cute ‘elfin’ toad, call is a high-pitched peeping, lay eggs in short strings, pref for eating ants

family hylidae (treefrogs, chorus frogs, cricket frogs) general info

-14 native sp

-quite a variable group in FL

-toe pads in Hyla (excellent climbers, arboreal)

-reduced rear-toe webbing except Acris

-terrestrial except Acris

-some sp common in suburb areas

-one introduced sp

green treefrog identification

green to olive colored w distinct white line down sides, dorsal coloration above and below line, often has small yellow spots on back

green treefrog habitats/range

flatwoods, margins of wetlands, hammocks, suburb settings; swamps, lakes, retention ponds, isolated wetlands; all state

green treefrog other info

white line absent in some inds- rarely though

squirrel treefrog identification

green to brown frog- quite variable, patterned or not, often a light-colored jagged line on side (not clearly demarcated), tympanum often bronze colored

squirrel treefrog habitats/range

flatwoods, hammocks, suburban settings; retention ponds, ditches, isolated wetlands; all state

other info about squirrel treefrog

smaller than green treefrog, and snout more rounded, appear to have declined in suburb areas of SFL, eaten by Cuban Treefrogs

pine woods treefrog identification

usually gray to brown but can be a muted green, pattern on back may or may not be visible, light spots on thighs, darkish mask through eye

pine woods treefrog habitats/range

pine flatwoods, sandhills; isolated wetlands and ditches that lack predatory fish; most of state except southern central tip

pine woods treefrog other info

very young inds lack thigh spots, tadpole with orange/red tail fin, flagellum

barking treefrog identification

brown or green frog most often with large spots on back, stout-bodied for a treefrog, granular skin

barking treefrog habitats/range

flatwoods, sandhills; only breeds in isolated wetlands that lack predatory fishes; all of state except southern/central tip

barking treefrog other info

very arboreal, largest native treefrog, was proposed as FL’s state amphibian, a handsome devil for sure

cope’s gray treefrog identification

gray or greenish but variable, dark markings on back, warty skin for a treefrog, light blotch under eye, yellow-orange wash on inner thighs

cope’s gray treefrog habitats/range

hardwood forests, forested floodplains, shrubby habitats near water; isolated wetlands, floodplain pools; very north fl, panhandle

cope’s gray treefrog other info

call is loud coarse trill, very cryptically patterned, looks a lot like the bird-voiced treefrog

southern spring peeper identification

small, reddish brown frog with X pattern on back

southern spring peeper habitats/range

hammocks, swamps, floodplains; isolated wetlands, retention ponds, floodplain pools; north florida except tip of panhandle

other southern spring peeper info

most arboreal chorus frog, small toepads, winter breeder in fl, calls deafening in large choruses, rarely seen unless calling

southern chorus frog identification

gray to almost black frog with several rows of dark spots, pointed snout, lip all white or white spots

southern chorus frog habitats/range

flatwoods, grassy fields, ditches and isolated wetlands that lack predatory fishes; all state, different morphs in northern/southern state

southern chorus frog other info

very cryptic, only encounter these frogs when they are breeding- all months

little grass frog identification

small, bronze/brown/gray colored, dark mask extends down each side of body

little grass frog habitats/range

flatwoods, grassy fields, ditches, swales, isolated wetlands that lack predatory fishes; all state except tip of panhandle

other info about little grass frog

smallest terrestrial vertebrate in NA- only to ~0.5 in, call sounds like an insect

ornate chorus frog identification

stout-bodied frog, green, brown, and gray morphs; prominent dark markings on sides; dark mask

ornate chorus frog habitats/range

sandhills, flatwoods; only breeds in isolated wetlands that lack predatory fishes; north fl and panhandle

other info about ornate chorus frog

one of our most beautiful frogs, sig declines over past 10 yrs in NFL

fl cricket frog identification

small aquatic frog, highly variable color and pattern, triangle on head, ‘grilled’ pattern on thighs

fl cricket frog habitats/range

lakes, prairies, isolated wetlands; most of state except tip of northern panhandle

fl cricket frog other info

can be very abundant, active during the day and night, extensively webbed rear toes for a hylid, only to about 1 in in length

family microhylidae- narrow mouthed ‘toads’ characteristics

-1 native sp

-not a ‘true’ toad: skin not ‘dry’, no parotoid glands

-pointed snout

-fold of skin btwn eyes

-long, thin, rear toes with no webbing

-ant specialists

eastern narrow-mouthed toad identification

brown or black with mottled pattern, very pointed snout, fold of skin on head, long and thin rear toes unwebbed

eastern narrow-mouthed toad habitats/range

flatwoods, sandhills, hammocks, suburb settings; isolated wetlands that lack pred fishes; all state

eastern narrow-mouthed toad other info

ant specialists, long unwebbed toes, slimy little frogs

family scaphiopodidae - spadefoots gen characteristics

-1 native sp

-’dry’, rough, slightly warty skin

-stout bodied

-parotoid glands inconspicuous/flat

-very reduced toe webbing

-vertical pupils

-prominent spade on rear feet for digging

eastern spadefoot identification

brownish frog with hourglass shape on back, small warts, vertical pupil, prominent spade on rear feet, warts reddish

eastern spadefoot habitats/range

hammocks, sandhill, some suburb settings; breeds in the most ephemeral ponds which lack fish; all state except southern/central ish fl

eastern spadefoot other info

breed only during very heavy rainfall, explosive breeder, tadpoles school, very short larval period, use spade to burrow

family ranidae- ‘true’ frogs gen characteristics

-largest FL’s frogs

-8 native sp

-extensive webbing btwn rear toes in most

-primarily aquatic

-bullfrogs and such

-genus Rana; other genera proposed for NA “ranids” include Lithobates, Aquarana, and Pantherana (leopard frogs and gopher frogs)

southern leopard frog identification

green and brown w numerous large spots, dorsolateral ridges/folds, pointed snout, white spot in tympanum

southern leopard frog habitats/range

a diversity of aquatic habitats- lakes, marshes, swamps, isolated wetlands, ditches, retention ponds; all state

southern leopard frog other info

winter breeder, strong jumper, paired vocal sacs, very common ranid frog

bronze frog identification

smallish brown/bronze colored frog, prominent dorsolateral ridges, no spots on the back

bronze frog habitats/range

riparian habitats, floodplain swamps, margins of lakes, will breed in ditches, north fl and panhandle

bronze frog other info

call sounds like pluck of a banjo string, sexually dimorphic tympanum, males est and defend territories, referred to as Green Frog in northern part of range

fl bog frog identification

smallish frog, back yellow-green to brown, obvious dorsolateral ridges, very reduced toe webbing (compare to Brnz frg)

FL bog frog habitats/range

seepage bogs and stream edges, breeds in still pools; only found in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa Cos. - endemic

other info about fl bog frog

not likely to encounter this frog unless u are looking for it, smallest FL ranid, discovered in 1982

fl gopher frog identification

large gray frog with big dark spots, light colored dorsolateral ridges (flattened)

fl gopher frog habitats/range

scrub, sandhill, scrubby flatwoods; breeds in isolated wetlands that lack predatory fishes; most of state except tip of panhandle and south central fl/south south fl

fl gopher frog other info

most terrestrial ranid, live in GT burrows and other burrows, found well away from H20, sp of conservation concern in FL

pig frog identification

large greenish frog, jagged ‘stripes’ on thighs, toe web extends to last digit of 4th rear toe

pig frog habitats/range

lakes, marshes, swamps, small isolated wetlands; all state

pig frog other info

looks similar to bullfrog, source of native frog legs in FL, call is a pig-like grunt, mainly a summer breeder, large tadpoles

american bullfrog identification

large brown or greenish/olive colored frog, often w mottled pattern on body and rump, toe web not out to last digit of 4th toe

american bullfrog habitats/range

in FL often in small isolated wetlands, not so much a lake sp; most state except south fl

other info about american bullfrog

largest native frog, tympanum sexually dimorphic, invasive in western US, large green tadpoles in peninsular FL

river frog identification

large dark brown frog, dark reticulate pattern on belly, white spots on lips, no dorsolateral ridges

river frog habitats/range

riparian habitats, lakes, rivers, springs; north fl including panhandle

river frog other info

very large, dark tadpoles with dark border on tail fin; tadpoles form schools

carpenter frog identification

smallish frog, light stripes on sides (2 on each side)- no dorsolateral ridges, longest toe extends well beyond webbing

carpenter frog habitats/range

sphagnum bogs, Okefenokee swamp; only 2 counties in NFL

carpenter frog other info

not likely to encounter this frog, call reminiscent of a nail being hammered, one of smallest FL ranids