Frogs in My Backyard

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Frogs in My Backyard

• - A Quick Reference Guide to the Most Common
  Frogs and Toads in Different Parts of Texas

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Texas A Wonder World of Frogs

• Texas has 42 different species of frogs and toads
• Many counties in Texas may have more than 20
  species
• However, many of the sounds you hear at night are
  made by a handful of the most common frogs and
  toads.
• Pick your region and start learning to recognize
  the night songs in your backyard!
• P.S. If youre lucky to live in some very
  special and unique habitats, such as the
  mountains of West Texas or the subtropics of the
  Lower Rio Grande Valley, then youll have some
  other unique species that are common in your
  area. Check out a field guide to see what
  special species you can expect!

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Click on your region
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Common North Texas Species
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Woodhouses Toad

• Anaxyrus (Bufo) woodhousii/velatus/fowleri complex

• 2-5 inches in length
• Light stripe down back elongate paratoid glands
  warty skin
• Prefers sandy soils uses many wetland types
• Breeds in spring and summer
• Call sounds like a sheep or waaaah

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Cricket Frog

• Acris crepitans

• Small frogabout 1 inch in length
• Colors can vary small warts on skin
• Found near permanent water
• Breeds in spring and summer
• Call sounds like marbles clicking together

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Spotted Chorus Frog

• Pseudacris clarkii

• Small frogabout 1 inch in length
• Usually a pattern of greenish spots
• Found in small wetlands in grasslands
• Can breed all year, but peak in spring
• Call sounds like running your fingers along the
  teeth of a comb

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Leopard Frogs
Texas has three species of leopard frogs. All
are spotted, with a dorso-lateral fold. All are
found in permanent water bodies and may breed
year-round. The calls are variable, with many
different sounds, squeaks, and grunts.
Rio Grande Leopard Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Plains Leopard Frog

• Lithobates (Rana) berlandieri

Lithobates (Rana) sphenocephalus
Lithobates (Rana) blairi
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Bullfrog

• Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus

• Largest frog4-6 inch body length
• Greenish-gray above white below prominent
  eardrum (tympanum)
• Found in large water bodies
• Breeds in spring, summer, fall
• Deep call sounds like blowing across the top of a
  bottle

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Common East Texas Species
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Cricket Frog

• Acris crepitans

• Small frogabout 1 inch in length
• Colors can vary small warts on skin
• Found near permanent water
• Breeds in spring and summer
• Call sounds like marbles clicking together

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Spring Peeper

• Pseudacris crucifer

• Small frog1-2 inches long
• X-pattern on back toe pads
• Found near small ponds in wooded areas
• Breeds in winter
• Call sounds like high-pitched whistle groups
  calling sound like sleigh bells

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Green Treefrog

• Hyla cinerea

• 1¼-2¼ inches long
• Bright green with distinct white line on side
• Found in moist wetland habitatsmarshes, swamps,
  riparian areas
• Breeds primarily in spring and summer
• Call sounds like quacking of ducks or honking of
  geese

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Bronze (Green) Frog

• Lithobates (Rana) clamitans

• Body length 2-3 inches long
• Green to metallic bronze fold of skin around
  eardrum
• Found in permanently wet habitatsstreams,
  swamps, ponds
• Breeds in spring and summer
• Call sounds like plucking of banjo string

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Southern Leopard Frog
Lithobates (Rana) sphenocephalus

• Body length 2-3½ inches long
• Spotted on back, with fold of skin down side of
  back
• Found in permanent water bodies
• Breeds year-round
• Variable call with grunts, squeaks and
  chuckssounds like Woody Woodpecker

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Bullfrog

• Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus

• Largest frog4-6 inch body length
• Greenish-gray above white below prominent
  eardrum (tympanum)
• Found in large water bodies
• Breeds in spring, summer, fall
• Deep call sounds like blowing across the top of a
  bottle

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Common Coastal Texas Species
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Gulf Coast Toad

• Ollotis nebulifer (Bufo valliceps)

• Body length 2-4 inches long
• Prominent stripe on back and crests on head
• Found in a variety of habitatsurban and rural
  permanent and temporary wetlands
• Breeds spring and summer
• Call is a long, low, rattling trill

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Cricket Frog

• Acris crepitans

• Small frogabout 1 inch in length
• Colors can vary small warts on skin
• Found near permanent water
• Breeds in spring and summer
• Call sounds like marbles clicking together

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Green Treefrog

• Hyla cinerea

• 1¼-2¼ inches long
• Bright green with distinct white line on side
• Found in moist wetland habitatsmarshes, swamps,
  riparian areas
• Breeds primarily in spring and summer
• Call sounds like quacking of ducks or honking of
  geese

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Eastern Narrowmouth Toad

• Gastrophryne carolinensis

• Small frogabout 1 inch
• Oval shaped dark above, light mottling below
• Usually found in recently-flooded wetlands
• Breeds late spring to summer, following rains
• Call is a loud, long bleatlike an air-horn

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Southern Leopard Frog
Lithobates (Rana) sphenocephalus

• Body length 2-3½ inches long
• Spotted on back, with fold of skin down side of
  back
• Found in permanent water bodies
• Breeds year-round
• Variable call with grunts, squeaks and
  chuckssounds like Woody Woodpecker

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Bullfrog

• Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus

• Largest frog4-6 inch body length
• Greenish-gray above white below prominent
  eardrum (tympanum)
• Found in large water bodies
• Breeds in spring, summer, fall
• Deep call sounds like blowing across the top of a
  bottle

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Common South Texas Species
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Gulf Coast Toad

• Ollotis nebulifer (Bufo valliceps)

• Body length 2-4 inches long
• Prominent stripe on back and crests on head
• Found in a variety of habitatsurban and rural
  permanent and temporary wetlands
• Breeds spring and summer
• Call is a long, low, rattling trill

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Texas Toad

• Anaxyrus (Bufo) speciosus

• Body length 2-3¼ inches long
• Numerous warts no prominent color markings
• Found in a grasslands and woodlands with sandy
  soil
• Breeds spring and summer
• Call is a repeated series of short, strong
  trills sounds like a rivet-gun

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Couchs Spadefoot Toad

• Scaphiopus couchii

• Body length 2¼-3½ inches long
• Mottled yellowish warty skin prominent eyes
  elliptical pupils
• Uses temporary wetlands in grasslands and
  savannah
• Breeds spring and summer only after heavy rains
• Call is a short, strained waaaah

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Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad

• Gastrophryne olivacea

• Small frogabout 1 inch
• Oval shaped smooth, grayish skin
• Usually found in recently-flooded wetlands hides
  in burrows
• Breeds late spring to summer, following rains
• Call is a long, angry, insect-like buzz

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Rio Grande Leopard Frog
Lithobates (Rana) berlandieri

• Body length 2-4 inches long
• Spotted on back fold of skin down side of back
  is interrupted at the groin
• Found in permanent water bodies
• Breeds year-round
• Variable call is predominated by a low growl

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Common Central Texas Species
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Gulf Coast Toad

• Ollotis nebulifer (Bufo valliceps)

• Body length 2-4 inches long
• Prominent stripe on back and crests on head
• Found in a variety of habitatsurban and rural
  permanent and temporary wetlands
• Breeds spring and summer
• Call is a long, low, rattling trill

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Cricket Frog

• Acris crepitans

• Small frogabout 1 inch in length
• Colors can vary small warts on skin
• Found near permanent water
• Breeds in spring and summer
• Call sounds like marbles clicking together

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Cliff Chirping Frog

• Eleutherodactylus (Syrrhophus) marnockii

• Small frogabout 1 inch
• Mottled greenish skin large head small toe-pads
• Inhabits and breeds in rocky crevices
• Breeds year-round, with peaks in spring
• Frail call of chirps and short trills

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Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad

• Gastrophryne olivacea

• Small frogabout 1 inch
• Oval shaped smooth, grayish skin
• Usually found in recently-flooded wetlands hides
  in burrows
• Breeds late spring to summer, following rains
• Call is a long, loud, insect-like buzz

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Rio Grande Leopard Frog
Lithobates (Rana) berlandieri

• Body length 2-4 inches long
• Spotted on back fold of skin down side of back
  is interrupted at the groin
• Found in permanent water bodies
• Breeds year-round
• Variable call is predominated by a low growl

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Common West Texas Species
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Red Spotted Toad

• Anaxyrus (Bufo) punctatus

• Body length 1½-3 inches
• Round paratoid glands red-spotted warts
• Often found in rocky areas and grasslands near
  water
• Breeds spring and summer following rain
• Call is a long, high, musical trill

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Great Plains Toad

• Anaxyrus (Bufo) cognatus

• Body length 2-4½ inches
• Dark spots edged in white warty skin
• Found in a variety of arid habitats with loose
  soil
• Breeds spring and summer following rain
• Call is a very long, low, rattling trill

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Spotted Chorus Frog

• Pseudacris clarkii

• Small frogabout 1 inch in length
• Usually a pattern of greenish spots
• Found in small wetlands in grasslands
• Can breed all year, but peak in spring
• Call sounds like running your fingers along the
  teeth of a comb

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New Mexico Spadefoot Toad

• Spea multiplicata

• Body length 1½-2½ inches long
• Orange or yellowish warts prominent eyes
  elliptical pupils
• Found in sandy soil areas uses temporary
  wetlands to breed
• Breeds winter, spring, and summer only after
  heavy rains
• Call is a short, wooden rattle

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Leopard Frogs
Texas has three species of leopard frogs, with
two found in West Texas. Both are spotted, with
a dorso-lateral fold. Both are found in
permanent water bodies and may breed year-round.
The calls are variable, with many different
sounds, squeaks, and grunts however, the Rio
Grande Leopard Frog call is predominated by
growls or purrs.
Plains Leopard Frog
Lithobates (Rana) blairi
Rio Grande Leopard Frog

• Lithobates (Rana) berlandieri

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References

• http//www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us/amphibians/