Frogs and Toads of Florida
Florida is home to a vast amount of frogs and toads. Even some invasive species of frogs have taken home here.
If you are looking to identify certain frogs and toads of Florida 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
True Frog Family – Ranidae
The True Frogs are your typical frogs that are generally found near a pond or lake.
Bronze /Green Frog (Rana clamitans)
Common Name: Bronze / Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Northern half of the state
Breeding Season: April to August
The Bronze Frog is a medium to large sized frog. They can be commonly found near pretty much any water body such as ponds, lakes, or streams. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. Best way to tell them apart from other true frogs below is the dorsal ridge on its back does not go all the way down its back.
Common Name: Pig Frog
Scientific Name: Rana grylio
Location: Statewide besides the Keys
Breeding Season: April to August
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catebeiana
Location: Northern half of the state
Breeding Season: April to August
The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the North America, capable of reaching over 7 inches long. 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.
It looks very similar to the Green Frog, but the dorsal ridge wraps around the tympanum while the Green Frog’s dorsal ridge is incomplete and does not extend all the way to its rear. The American Bullfrog is also very similar to the Pig Frog, but the Pig Frog has bolder spots / stripes on the back of its thighs while the Bullfrog has light spots.
*State Threatened*
Common Name: Florida Bog Frog
Scientific Name: Rana okaloosae
Location: Western part of the panhandle
Breeding Season: April to August
The Florida Bog Frog is the smallest frog in the genus Rana. It has a light colored dorsal ridge that stops a little short of the groin. They have a yellow throat.
Common Name: River Frog
Scientific Name: Rana heckscheri
Location: Far Northern border of the state
Breeding Season: March through September
River Frog does not have a dorsal ridge which is a key identification characteristic. Its skin is also a lot more rough and wrinkly than another true frogs.
Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sphenocephalus
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: October through April
The Southern Leopard Frog is a medium to large sized frog that is brown or green in color with spots over their body. They have a white spot on their tympanum and their dorsal ridge goes straight all the way down their back.
Common Name: Carpenter Frog
Scientific Name: Rana virgatipes
Location: Okeefenokee Swamp and Osceola National Forest
Breeding Season: March through September
Carpenter Frog is identifiable because of their brown color and two yellow lines that run down their back.
Common Name: Gopher Frog
Scientific Name: Rana capito
Location: Everywhere besides southern Florida
Breeding Season: Yearlong but mostly during the winter
The Gopher Frog is identifiable due to their dorsal ridge that is nearly complete and their skin is rough and warty.
Tree Frog Family – Hylidae
Cricket Frogs – Acris
Common Name: Northern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name: Acris crepitans
Location: Panhandle
Breeding Season: March – August
Common Name: Southern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name: Acris gryllus
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: Yearlong except in the panhandle where its from February to October
The Cricket Frogs look really similar but there’s a few ways to tell them apart. The Southern Cricket Frog has a more pointed snout while the Northern Cricket Frog has a more blunt snout. The Southern Cricket Frog doesn’t have as much webbing on the back legs as the Northern Cricket Frog.
Chorus Frog – Pseudacris
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name: Pseudacris crucifer
Location: Northern Florida
Breeding Season: November – March
The Spring Peeper is a small chorus frog that can often be found on forest floor or low on trunks of trees. They can be hard to find due to their small size, however, in spring when they come to temporary ponds to breed, they are easier to find. They can be distinguished from Boreal Chorus Frog and Cricket Frog due to their x on their back
Video of a Spring Peeper calling, thanks to M Dwyer, @MustelidDwyer on twitter
Common Name: Ornate Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris ornata
Location: Northern Florida
Breeding Season: November to March
The Ornate Chorus Frog has a stripe through its eye and down its side. The stripe is often broken. It does not have any stripes on its back.
Common Name: Little Grass Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris ocularis
Location: Statewide besides the western edge of the panhandle
Breeding Season: Yearlong
Little Grass frog has three lines down its back but lacks white around the lips that the Upland and Southern Chorus frog have. It is the smallest frog in the United States.
Here is a video of one calling, thanks to Arik Hartmann
Common Name: Upland Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris feriarum
Location: Panhandle
Breeding Season: January to May
The Upland Chorus Frog has three lines down its back that are often broken.
Common Name: Southern Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris nigrita
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: November through April
The Southern Chorus Frog has three lines down its back but it’s skin is darker than the Upland Chorus Frog and Little Grass Frog.
Tree Frogs – Hyla
Common Name: Pine Barrons Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla andersonii
Location: Western Panhandle
Breeding Season: April to August
Pine Barrons Tree Frog is identifiable because of its purple stripe from its eye down its side.
Cope Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla chrysoscelis
Location: Northern Florida
Breeding Season: March to August
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.
Common Name: Bird-voiced Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla avivoca
Location: Panhandle
Breeding Season: April – August
Common Name: Pinewoods Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla femoralis
Location: Everywhere besides the southern part
Breeding Season: April to October
Cope’s Gray Tree Frogs, Pinewoods Tree Frog, and the Bird-Voiced Frog look very much a like. The difference is the coloration on the inner thigh. Cope’s Gray Tree Frog has brighter orange color on the thigh while the Bird-Voiced Frog is more greenish-yellow. The Pinewoods Frog has dots / spots on the inner thigh.
Common Name: Barking Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla gratiosa
Location: Everywhere besides the southern part
Breeding Season: March through August
Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)
Common Name: Green Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla cinerea
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: March through October
The Green Tree Frog is a medium sized tree frog with a distinct white stripe down its side. They are found on trees and other objects above the ground.
Common Name: Squirrel Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla squirellus
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: March to August
The Green Tree Frog, Squirrel Tree Frog, and Barking Tree Frog are all very similar. The Barking Tree Frog has much rougher skin than the others. The Green Tree Frog has a white line down its side.
Toads
True Toad Family – Bufonidae
Common Name: Southern Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus terrestris
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: March – October
The Southern Toad has very pronounced cranial crest on its head.
Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus fowleri
Location: Panhandle
Breeding Season: March – August
The Fowler’s Toad is a small to medium sized toad ranging in color from brown, gray, and olive with a clear, white underside and a white stripe down its back. Its parotid gland touches its postorbital ridge.
The Fowler’s Toad and Southern Toad look kinda alike but the cranial crest isn’t as pronounced.
Common Name: Oak Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus quercicus
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: April – October
The Oak Toad is the smallest toad in the state. They have a line down its back and has orange on its bottom of its feet.
Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae
Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Scaphious holbrookii
Location: Statewide besides southcentral area
Breeding Season: March to August following heavy rains
The Eastern Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad ranging in color from tan to brown with small warts They have bright yellow eyes with elliptical pupils. They have a dark spade on their hind feet.
Narrow Mouth Toad Family – Microhylidae
Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouth Toad
Scientific Name: Gastrophryne carolinensis
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: April – October
The Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad is a small, smooth toad that varies in color from gray, brown, black, and tan. They have a pointy head and a fat little body.
Introduced Species
Common Name: Cane Toad
Scientific Name: Rhinella marina
Location: Southern coastal areas
Breeding Season: March to September
The Cane Toad is a highly invasive toad. They were introduced around the world to help with fighting insects on plants. They are one of the largest toad in the world which allows them to be able to eat numerous amounts of animals. The Cane Toad is also very toxic which harms wild animals and pets that try to eat them.
Common Name: Greenhouse Frog
Scientific Name: Eleutherodactylus planirostris
Location: Almost statewide besides some spots in the panhandle
Breeding Season: May – September
The Green House Frog was accidentally introduced by shipments of plants, hence the name Green House Frog. Researchers aren’t sure what the current impact of the frog is on native wildlife.
Common Name: Cuban Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Oseopilus septentrionalis
Location: Everywhere besides some spots in the panhandle
Breeding Season: March to October (possibly yearlong in southern part of the state)
The Cuban Tree Frog is a large tree frog from obviously Cuba. They have a gigantic appetite which causes them to be highly destructive to the ecosystem.
