Squirrel tree frog

Species of amphibian

The squirrel tree frog (Dryophytes squirellus) is a small species of tree frog found in the south eastern United States, from Texas to Virginia. This is an introduced species in the Bahamas. Squirrel tree frogs are small frogs, about 1.5 inches in length as adults. There are several color variations, but most commonly they are green and look very much like the American green tree frog. They can also be varying shades of yellow or brown, sometimes with white or brown blotching.

As tadpoles, the squirrel tree frog is preyed upon by dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, predatory fish and newts. Once the tadpoles metamorphose, the predators of the frogs change to small mammals, other frogs, snakes, birds. However, they do not appear to reduce activity within this cover. It has been suggested that the drying of the ponds is a more significant threat to the frogs than predation. As adults, they use their diminutive size and color changing ability to avoid predation. When not feeding, the frog reduces activity and hides in a retreat; frogs feed within 28 meters of this retreat site. They have recently been introduced to the Bahamas, on Grand Bahama Island and Little Bahama Bank. They very rarely are found as far north as Mississippi. They occupy a wide range of habitats including fields; urbanized areas; swamps; pine and oak groves; opened wooded areas; the sides of buildings and almost anywhere that food, moisture and shelter can be found. They return to wetlands to breed, typically in locations such as ephemeral pools, roadside ditches or canopy pools where they are safe from predatory fish. Breeding is tied strongly to rain events. The females are oviparous and the eggs are laid singly or in pairs, typically less than or equal to one thousand in number. Males have a special breeding call that can be heard from March to August, even extending into autumn in some parts of the country. They breed in large aggregates during the summer months.

Squirrel tree frogs are active foragers, even when insect predators are present. They can be found in both open and heavily forested wetlands, but they have higher rates of survival in bodies of water with a higher density vegetation. Due to their high levels of activity, squirrel tree frogs tadpoles are vulnerable to predation by multiple species of fish, and the adults are vulnerable to predation by the non native Cuban tree frog. Because of their rapid growth and development, the tadpoles are more likely to survive insect predators than fish predators. When they are reared alongside Cuban tree frogs, squirrel tree frogs have a lower survival rate than when they are reared alone; however, the Cuban tree frog does not appear to be a threat to the squirrel tree frog tadpoles. Although there are few concerns about its conservation status, the squirrel tree frog reproductive cycle could be impacted by climate change. Climate change is leading to long periods of hydrological drought and declining the number of ephemeral wetlands that these frogs rely on for breeding.