Southern leopard frog

Species of amphibian

Lithobates sphenocephalus or Rana sphenocephala, commonly known as the southern leopard frog, is a medium sized anuran in the family Ranidae (the true frogs). The southern leopard frog is one of the 36 species of the Ranidae family found in North America. It is native to eastern North America from Kansas to New York to Florida. It is also an introduced species in some areas.

This frog is up to long. It is green or brown in color with a yellowish ridge along each side of the back. Rounded dark spots occur on the back and sides; a light spot is seen on each eardrum. Along with the dark colored reticulum, they have dark connected blotches of dark pigments and elongated features. The male has larger fore limbs than the female. The breeding male's vocal sacs are spherical when inflated. The call is described as a "ratchet like trill", "chuckling croak", or a "squeaky balloon like sound". The larva is mottled, and the eyes are positioned on the top of the head. It grows to in length before maturing. The female lays an egg mass that is "baseball sized" when close to hatching time, and contains up to 1500 eggs.

This frog lives in many types of shallow freshwater habitat and sometimes in slightly brackish water. They usually look for wetter environments that have herbaceous plant cover and low canopy. It is usually found close to water, but it can stay on dry land for long periods of time. but it can be active during the day and the night, especially during rainfall. It breeds in the winter and spring, and sometimes in the fall. While there is a relationship between month and breeding activity, mean daily precipitation is the main factor that determines breeding activity. Breeding can occur throughout the year in southern states but typically occurs in early spring. The southern populations breed the longest. They can breed in a variety of aquatic habitats ranging from ephemeral to permanent. The egg mass is connected to aquatic vegetation. Communal egg deposition in cooler temperatures is thought to be an adaptation for increased egg and embryo survival, creating a thermal advantage, similar to that of the Wood frog. Eggs hatch in 4 days to nearly two weeks. The tadpoles take 50 to 75 days to develop to adulthood. Southern leopard frogs feed primarily on insects, crayfish, and other invertebrates. They forage in upland areas during the summer.

This frog is widespread across eastern North America, especially the Southeast US. It is the most common frog in Florida and several other regions. It is an introduced species in the Bahamas
L. s. utricularius – Southern leopard frog