Frogs and Toads of Connecticut
Frogs
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Tree Frog family – Hylidae
Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor)
Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla veriscolor
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: April through July
The Eastern Gray Tree Frog is the larger of the tree frogs in the state. They are not always gray but can be green in color. The frogs also have enlarged toe pads used for climbing.
Some Eastern Gray Tree Frogs calling.
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name: Pseudacris crucifer
Location: Throughout the state
Breeding Season: After the snow melts to July
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. The Spring Peeper is a lot smaller than the Grey Tree Frog and contains an x on its back that the Grey Tree Frog does not have.
True Frog Family – Ranidae
The True Frogs are your typical frogs that are generally found along the shores of a lake or pond.
Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Throughout Connecticut
Breeding Season: April to August
The Green 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.
American Bull Frog (Rana catesbiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbiana
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: June to September
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.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: April
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. They are listed as a Species of Special Concern in the state.
Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name: Rana palustris
Location: Throughout
Breeding Season: April to May
The Pickerel Frog is a medium to large sized frog. Their dorsal ridge runs down from their eye to their back and inside there is rectangular boxes. Pickeral Frog and Northern Leopard Frog look very similar to each other because of the spots but the Pickeral frog’s spots are more rectangular than the Northern Leopard Frog.
Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: March and April
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 in late March / early April. After breeding season, they are often found in the woods, far away from any water bodies.
Toads
True Toad Family – Bufonidae
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Common Name: American Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: Late April to July
Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus fowleri
Location: Statewide but more common in coastal areas
Breeding Season: May to July
The difference between the Fowler’s Toad and American Toad involves the head. In the American Toad, the parotoid gland the the crest behind its eye does not touch while the Fowler’s Toad has them touching.
