Southern Leopard Frog

Taxobox
name = Southern Leopard Frog

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image_width = 200px
status = LC
trend = stable
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
familia = Ranidae
genus = "Rana"
species = "R. sphenocephala"
binomial = "Rana sphenocephala"
binomial_authority = Cope, 1886
synonyms =
"Lithobates sphenocephalus"
Frost, et al, 2006

The Southern Leopard Frog ("Rana sphenocephala"Hillis, D. M. 2007. Constraints in naming parts of the Tree of Life. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42:331-338.] Hillis, D. M., and T. P. Wilcox. 2005. Phylogeny of the New World True Frigs ("Rana"). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34:299-314.] ) is a species of mostly aquatic true frog, found in the south-eastern third of the United States. There are two accepted subspecies.

Physical description

The Southern Leopard Frog is generally green or light brown in color, with dark brown or black blotching (that is the origin of their common name). They grow to 3½ inches (90 mm) in length and have a pointed snout.

Ecology and behavior

This species prefers shallow, freshwater habitats, such as streams, ponds or lakes, with plenty of vegetation for camouflage. They are mostly nocturnal, and carnivorous, consuming almost any kind of insect they can catch and fit in their mouth, including earthworms, spiders and centipedes. They are excellent jumpers, and typically escape predation by leaping into the water and swimming to the bottom. Breeding occurs year around, as long as the temperature permits. Eggs are laid in a clutch of several hundred at the bottom of shallow water. Tadpoles hatch and remain in the fully aquatic form for approximately 90 days, feeding on algae and rotting plant matter.

Subspecies

*Florida Leopard Frog, "Rana sphenocephala sphenocephala" Cope, 1886
*Southern Leopard Frog, "Rana sphenocephala utricularia" Harlan, 1825

Footnotes

References

* [http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/southern.leopard.frog.html Frogs & Toads of Georgia: Southern Leopard Frog] * IUCN2006|assessors=Hammerson & Hedges|year=2004|id=58723|title=Rana sphenocephala|downloaded=12 May 2006 Database entry includes a range map and a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
* (2006): The amphibian tree of life. "Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.' 297: 1-371.
* [http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/frogs/rana.sphenocephala.html Herps of Texas: "Rana sphenocephala"]
* (1983): Phylogeny and biogeography of the "Rana pipiens" complex: A biochemical evaluation. "Systematic Zoology' 32: 132-143.
* (1988): Systematics of the "Rana pipiens" complex: Puzzle and paradigm. "Annual Review of Systematics and Ecology" 19: 39-63.
* (2005): Phylogeny of the New World true frogs ("Rana"). "Mol. Phylogenet. Evol." 34(2): 299–314. doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2004.10.007 [http://www.cnah.org/pdf_files/215.pdf PDF fulltext] .
* (2007) Constraints in naming parts of the Tree of Life. "Mol. Phylogenet. Evol." 42: 331–338.
* [http://www.fcps.edu/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/southern_leopard_frog.htm Study of Northern Virginia Ecology: Southern Leopard Frog]

ee also

*Northern Leopard Frog

External links