Toads and Frogs in South Dakota
If you are looking to identify a specific toads and frogs in South Dakota and can’t figure it out from the page, you can check my Frog Identification and see how to contact me about helping you out.
Frogs in South Dakota
True Frog Family – Ranidae
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Southern border
Breeding Season:
The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. They are found near permanent bodies of water such as large ponds, streams, and lakes. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. They are very similar to Green Frogs but they don’t have a dorsal ridge down their back. It wraps around their tympanum.
Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Northeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:
The Wood Frog is a small to medium sized frog. They vary in color from brown, silver, or red and they have dark “raccoon” eyes. When winter comes, the Wood Frog can freeze completely solid and then unthaw in spring. They start to breed once the ice is off the ponds. After breeding season, they are often found in the woods, far away from any water bodies.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season:
The Northern Leopard Frog is a medium to large species of semi aquatic species of frog. They vary in color from dark brown to slim green with fairly large spots all over their body.
Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana blairi
Location: Southeastern part of the state
Breeding Season:
The Plains Leopard Frog is a medium sized frog with a tan color and dark spots. They have dorsal ridge that runs down their back that has a break and an indent near its butt / thighs.
Tree Frog Family – Hylidae
Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Scientific Name: Acris blanchardi
Location: Southeastern part of the state
Breeding Season:
The Blanchard’s Cricket Frog is a small, warty frog that varies in color from tan, brown, or green. They have a dark triangle between their eyes and a dark stripe on their thighs.
Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) and Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor)
Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla veriscolor
Location: Southeastern corner of South Dakota
Breeding Season:
Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla chrysoscelis
Location: Eastern part of state
Breeding Season:
The Gray Tree Frogs are nearly identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. These medium sized frogs can be found perched in trees or on the side of your house. They are not always gray in color and can be green. They have yellow or orange coloration on their back legs.
Here is a video of a Eastern Gray Tree Frog calling I took.
Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)
Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris maculata
Location: Throughout state
Breeding Season:
The Boreal Chorus Frog is a small sized Chorus Frog, ranging from brown, red, tan, to olive in color. They are very similar to the Spring Peeper but there is no x on its back but three lines that run down its back. It is one of the first frogs to start breeding in the spring, once the ice melts from the ponds, but breeds the longest out of all species.
Toads in South Dakota
True Toad Family – Bufonidae
The True Toads are your typical toad. They usually have a parotid gland behind their eyes that contain a poison called It is not advised to let your dog eat these guys.
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Common Name: American Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus
Location: Eastern Edge of state
Breeding Season:
The American Toad is a medium sized toad with rough warty skin that’s primary brown in color but can have some black, gray, or red coloration. Their undersides are speckled. The American Toads’s parotid gland does not touch or connected to it by a spur. The toads can be found pretty much anywhere including urban areas.
Common Name: Canadian Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus hemiophrys
Location: Northeastern part of state
Breeding Season:
The Canadian Toad’s cranial crest form a boss (bump) in between its eyes.
Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location: Throughout state
Breeding Season:
The Woodhouse’s Toad is a medium sized toad with brown or gray coloring. They have a white or yellow stripe running down the center of their back. Their cranial crests do not touch, creating opposing L shapes.
Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season:
The Great Plains Toad is a medium sized toad with pairs of dark blotches down their back. The toads are brown, gray, or green in color. A white stripe down their back can be seen on some individuals. The toad has a V shaped cranial crest on their head with a boss (bump) in between the eyes.
Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe
Spadefoot Toads – Scaphiopodidae
Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea bombifrons
Location: Western half
Breeding Season:
The Plains Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is gray, brown, or tan in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The toad has a bony boss (bump between the eyes).