Wood Frog / Grenouille des bois
Lithobates sylvaticus
Summary 2
The wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) has a broad distribution over North America, extending from the southern Appalachians to the boreal forest with several notable disjunct populations including lowland eastern North Carolina. The wood frog has garnered attention by biologists over the last century because of its freeze tolerance, relatively great degree of terrestrialism (for a Ranid), interesting habitat associations (peat bogs, vernal pools, uplands), and relatively long-range movements. The ecology and conservation of the wood frog...
Description 3
Adults are 37 to 83 mm in length, and females are larger. Prominent dorsolateral folds extend from the bead to near the vent. The lateral edge of each fold is darker than the medial edge. The smooth to moderately rough back often has short folds between the dorsolateral folds. Toes are webbed, with tow or three phalanges of the fourth toe free of the web. Dorsal coloring may be gray to tan to vivid reddish brown , and is coppery or golden in some individuals. Females are usually more reddish. Black or dark brown markings may be present on the back and sides, and many northern and western specimens have a middorsal white line. A conspicuous dark brown or blackish mask extends from the snout to just behind the tympanum. The white venter is sometimes darkly mottled on the throat and breast, and is smooth except for a granular region under the thighs. There also is a prominint dark marking in the pectoral region. The tympanum is smaller than the eye. Males have paired vocal sacs, stout forelegs, and a "thumb" and enlarged webbing between the toes during the breeding season.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Denis Doucet, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Denis Doucet
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithobates_sylvaticus
- (c) AmphibiaWeb © 2000-2015 The Regents of the University of California, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/34272161
