Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Washington DC

Frogs and Toads of the Washington DC

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeianus)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbeianus
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the biggest frog in the state, capable of reaching over 7 inches long. The mature males of the species have bright yellow colored throats.

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog and American Bullfrog looks the same but the Bullfrog lacks a dorsal ridge down their back. The American Bullfrog also grows much larger than the Green Frog.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana pipiens
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sphenocephalus
Breeding Season:

The Northern and Southern Leopard Frogs look extremely alike. The Southern Leopard Frog has a white spot in its tympanum (ear spot) while the Northern one generally doesn’t. The Northern Leopard Frog has a more rounded spot than the Southern Leopard Frog.

Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana palustris
Breeding Season:

The Pickeral Frog appears much similar to the Leopard Frogs but they have rectangular spots on their back.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvaticus)

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sylvaticus
Breeding Season:

The Wood Frog has a very distinct mask around its face than other frogs in the area don’t have. They can vary in color from silver, red, and brown.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) / Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Breeding Season:

The Eastern and Gray Tree Frog and the Cope’s Gray Tree Frog are identical besides their calls. They have yellow markings on their hind legs. They can also be green or gray in color.

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla chrysoscelis
Breeding Season:

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper is one of the first frogs to call in spring and is extremely loud. It has a noticeable X shape on its back.

Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Common Name: Green Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla cinerea
Breeding Season:

The Green Tree Frog has a white line down the side of its jaw and down its side.

Common Name: Northern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris crepitans
Breeding Season:

Toads

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
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus fowleri
Breeding Season:

The Fowler’s Toad and the American Toad look very much a like but there are some differences in the back of the head.

The American Toad’s parotid gland is separated from the cranial crest while the Fowler’s Toad’s touches.

American Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus holbrookii
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Spadefoot Toad is the only spadefoot toad in the area. They have keratonized sheaths on their rear feet that help them with digging.

 

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Utah

Frogs and Toads of Utah

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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

Common Name: Colombia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana luteiventris
Location:
Northern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Columbia Spotted Frog has small spots all over their body that are often lighter on the inside.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana pipiens
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Northern Leopard Frog has fairly large spots all over their body. The dorsal ridge is nearly complete.

Common Name: Lowland Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana yavapaiensis
Location:
Possibly southwestern Utah
Breeding Season:

The Lowland Leopard Frog is stockier and paler than the Northern Leopard Frog.

Rana_onca
Relict Leopard Frog (Rana onca)

Common Name: Relict Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana onca
Location:
Probably extinct
Breeding Season:

The Relict Leopard Frog hasn’t been seen in the state since the 50s so it is probably extinct but who knows. The dorsal folds on the frog end well before the groin. It also has shorter legs than the Northern Leopard Frog.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Common Name: Canyon Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla arenicolor
Location:
Southern half of the state
Breeding Season:

The Canyon Tree Frog lacks a stripe that runs through its eye.

Common Name: Pacific Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris regilla
Location:
Western edge of the state
Breeding Season:

Pacific Tree Frog has the stripe through its eye but no stripes down its back.

Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris maculata
Location:
Northern area of Utah
Breeding Season:

The Boreal Chorus Frog has a stripe through its eye and three down its back.

Toads

True Toad Family – Bufonidae

Common Name: Arizona Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus microscaphus
Location:
Southwest Corner
Breeding Season:

The toad has weak or no cranial crests.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus cognatus
Location:
Southern half
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad has a well defined cranial crest that forms a V shape.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Common Name: Red Spotted Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus punctatus
Location:
Southern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Red Spotted Toad has a small flattened head and body with weak or no cranial crest.

Common Name: Western Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus boreas
Location:
Western part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Western Toad has no cranial crests and has a white line down its back.

Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Woodhouse’s Toad has well defined cranial crest that form opposing L shapes.

Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae

The Spadefoot Toads are a fossorial group of “toads”, meaning they spend most of their time underground. They are not considered true toads but are still called toads.

Common Name: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea intermontana
Location:
Everywhere besides the northeastern and southeastern corners of the state
Breeding Season:

The Great Basin Spadefoot toad has glandular boss between its eyes.

Common Name: Mexican Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea multiplicata
Location:
Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Mexican Spadefoot Toad has no boss between its eyes.

Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea bombifrons
Location:
Southern edges of the state
Breeding Season:

The Plains Spadefoot Toad has a bony boss between its eyes.

Introduced Species

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbeiana
Location:
Northcentral border
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest native frog in the United States. There is no dorsal ridge that runs down its back on the American Bullfrog. This is the distinguishable characteristics of the frog. It has a negative effect on native animals including other frogs.

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Weber County
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog looks very much like the American Bullfrog but it’s a tad smaller. It has a dorsal ridge that runs down its back but they are incomplete and do not reach all the way.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Rhode Island

Frogs and Toads of Rhode Island

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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

For a small state, Rhode Island has a decent amount of frogs.

True Frogs Family – Ranidae

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbeiana
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
May to August

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
mid April to August

The American Bullfrog and the Green Frog are similar but the American Bullfrog is larger. The Green Frog also has a impartial dorsal ridge while the American Bullfrog does not have one.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana pipiens
Location:
Northern part
Breeding Season:
Late March to early May

Common Name: Atlantic Coastal Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana kauffedi
Location:
Southern border
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana palustris
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
April to May

Pickeral Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, Atlantic Coastal 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 / Atlantic Coastal Frog. Now for Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog vs Northern Leopard Frog, the Atlantic Coastal Frog has more white in its tympanum than the Northern.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sylvatica
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
Late February to mid April

The Wood Frog is easily identifiable from its raccoon mask around its eyes.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Rhode Island only has two species of tree frog.

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
March through June

The Spring Peeper is the only chorus frog in Rhode Island. It has a distinct x on its back.

Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
Mid April through July

The Gray Tree frog is larger than the Spring Peeper, doesn’t have an x on its back, and has yellow / orange markings on leg

Toads

There are three toads in Rhode Island, two from the True Toad family and one from the Spadefoot toad family.

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:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
Mid April to early June

Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus fowleri
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
Late May to early June

bufo-cranial


This is the best pic to tell apart the Fowler’s and American Toad.

Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus holbrookii
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:
Following heavy rain fall from spring throughout the summer

The Eastern Spadefoot Toad is the only spadefoot toad in the state so just look for the toad with a spade on its rear feet.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Tennessee

Frogs and Toads of Tennessee

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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 along the shores of a lake or pond.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbiana
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. It lacks a dorsal ridge down its back.

Bronze / Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Bronze / Green Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog looks identical to the American Bullfrog but it has an incomplete dorsal ridge.

Common Name: Crawfish Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana areolatus
Location:
Western border of the state
Breeding Season:

The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes. Its has skin fold on the side and a small typanum.

Common Name: Gopher Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana capito
Location:
Coffee County
Breeding Season:

Gopher Frogs have irregular spots all over their body and their skin is rough. There are only two records of the frog in the state so its not likely to be seen.

Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sphenocephalus
Location:
Statewide besides the eastern border
Breeding Season:

The Southern Leopard Frog has spots all over its body, like a leopard.

Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana palustris
Location:
Statewide besides western edge
Breeding Season:

The Pickerel Frog looks like the Southern Leopard Frog but the spots on its skin are more rectangular than the Leopard Frog’s.

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sylvatica
Location:
Eastern half
Breeding Season:

Tree Frog Famiy – Hylidae

Not all the members of the tree frog family lives in the trees. You can find many of them on the ground.

Common Name: Northern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris crepitans
Location:
Everywhere besides northeastern corner
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Southern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris gryllus
Location:
Southwestern corner
Breeding Season:

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.

Common Name: Mountain Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris brachyphona
Location:
Eastern edges of the state
Breeding Season:

The Mountain Chorus Frog has a distinct mark on its back that looks like this )(.

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper is a small frog with a distinct X on its back. They are one of the first frogs to start singing in the spring.

Common Name: Upland Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris feriarum
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Upland Chorus Frog has 3 lines down its back that makes it easy to identify.

Barking Tree Frog (Hyla gratiosa)

Common Name: Barking Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla gratiosa
Location:
Southwestern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Common Name: Green Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla cinerea
Location:
Western border of the state
Breeding Season:

The Barking Tree Frog has much rougher skin than the Green Tree Frog. Both species have lines down the sides.

Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) and  Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Location:
Southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla chrysoscelis
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

These two frogs are identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. These tree frogs are also larger than the ones below. Also note that Gray Tree Frogs are not always gray and can be green. These frogs also have orange or yellow markings on their back legs.

Common Name: Bird-Voiced Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla avivoca
Location:
Western borner of the state
Breeding Season:

Bird-Voiced Tree Frog looks similar to the Gray Tree Frogs but their legs have a more yellow / green color on them while the Gray’s are more orange.

Toads

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:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus fowleri
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Toad and Fowler’s Toad look a lot alike. The differences has to do with their heads. Here’s a picture to show the differences.

bufo-cranial

Narrow Mouthed Toad Family – Microhylidae

Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Location:
Western half
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Narrow Mouth Toad is the only narrow mouthed toad in the state. Its head is obviously more narrow than the other toads.

Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus holbrookii
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Spadefoot Toad is the only species of spadefoot toad in the state. They have a noticeable spade on their hind legs that they use for digging.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Kentucky

Frogs and Toads of Kentucky

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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.

Kentucky is home to a variety of different frogs and toad species.

Frogs

True Frog Family – Ranidae

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbiana
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. It lacks a dorsal ridge down its back.

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog looks identical to the American Bullfrog but it has an incomplete dorsal ridge.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sylvatica
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Wood Frog is a very easy to identify because of their mask around their face.

Common Name: Crawfish Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana areolatus
Location:
Western edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes. Its has skin fold on the side and a small typanum.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana pipiens
Location:
Northcentral border
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sphenocephalus
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Northern and Southern Leopard Frog look very much alike with their uninterrupted dorsal ridges and spots but there are some differences. Southern Leopard Frog has a white spot on the tympanum and has a more pointed snout.

Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana blairi
Location:
Western edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Plains Leopard Frog looks like the Northern and Southern Leopard Frog but the dorsal ridge is not complete like theirs. It shifts inward near the groin and can be broken.

Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana palustris
Location:
Everywhere besides western edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Pickerel Frog looks like the Leopard Frogs but the spots on its skin are more rectangular than the Leopard Frog’s.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris blanchardi
Location:
Northern border of the state
Breeding Season:

They lack any distinct marks on its back.

Common Name: Northern Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris crepitans
Location:
Everywhere besides Eastern border
Breeding Season:

Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Common Name: Green Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla cinerea
Location:
Western edge of the state
Breeding Season:

hyla_gratiosa_umfs_2014_2
Barking Tree Frog (Hyla gratiosas)

Common Name: Barking Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla gratiosas
Location:
Southwestern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Barking Tree Frog has much rougher skin than the Green Tree Frog. Both species have lines down the sides.

Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor) and Copes Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Location:
Northern border
Breeding Season:

These two frogs are identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. These tree frogs are also larger than the ones below. Also note that Gray Tree Frogs are not always gray and can be green. These frogs also have orange or yellow markings on their back legs.

Here is a video of some Eastern Gray Tree Frog males calling that I took

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla chrysoscelis
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Bird-voiced Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla avivoca
Location:
Western border of the state
Breeding Season:

Bird-Voiced Tree Frog looks similar to the Gray Tree Frogs but their legs have a more yellow / green color on them while the Gray’s are more orange.

Common Name: Upland Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris feriarum
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Western Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris triseriata
Location:
Western edge of the state
Breeding Season:

Upland and Midland Chorus Frog both have three stripes down their back. Midland has broader stripes and the stripes also aren’t broken.

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper is a small frog with a distinct X on its back. They are one of the first frogs to start singing in the spring.

Common Name: Mountain Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris brachyphona
Location:
Eastern half
Breeding Season:

The Mountain Chorus Frog has a distinct mark on its back that looks like a reverse parenthesis on their back.

Toads

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:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus fowleri
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Toad has a speckled belly while the Fowler’s Toad has a clear, white belly.

American Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus holbrookii
Location:
Everywhere besides central Kentucky
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Spadefoot Toad is easy to identify because of the spade on their back legs that are used for digging.

Narrow Mouthed Toad Family – Microhylidae

Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Location:
Western half
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad is the only narrow mouthed toad in the state. Its head is extremely narrow compared to the other toads.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Missouri

Frogs and Toads of Missouri

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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

Common Name: Crawfish Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana areolatus
Location:
Southwestern corner diagonally up to the northeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes. Its has skin folds on the side and a small typanum. It also has a pair of vocal sacs for calling.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbeiana
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest native frog in the United States. There is no dorsal ridge that runs down its back on the American Bullfrog. This is the distinguishable characteristics of the frog.

Bronze /Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog / Bronze Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Everywhere besides western corner of the state
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog looks very much like the American Bullfrog but it’s a tad smaller. It has a dorsal ridge that runs down its back but they are incomplete and do not reach all the way.

Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name
Rana blairi
Location:
Everywhere besides southcentral Missouri
Breeding Season:

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana pipiens
Location:
Northern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana spenocephalus
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Southern Leopard Frog has a white spot on its tympanum which can help differentiate the species from the other two. The Plains Leopard Frog is different from the Southern and Northern Leopard Frog because of its dorsal ridge. The Plains Leopard Frogs has a break and an indent near its butt while the North and South Leopard Frog just has a straight line.

Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana palustris
Location:
Everywhere besides northwestern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

Pickeral Frog looks like the leopard frogs but its spots are more rectangular than the leopard frogs.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sylvatica
Location:
Southeastern border and small spot on the southern border
Breeding Season:

The Wood Frogs are easy to identify because of the dark mask on its face.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris blanchardi
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Blanchard’s Cricket Frog is the only cricket frog in the state. Its skin is relatively more rough than the other tree frogs in the state. It also has no distinct markings.

Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Common Name: Green Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla cinerea
Location:
Southeast corner
Breeding Season:

The Green Tree Frog has a white line that runs down its side. It doesn’t have any distinct markings on its back.

Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) and Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Location:
Everywhere besides southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

These two frogs are identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. Note that Gray Tree Frogs are not always gray and can be green. They have yellow or orange coloration on their back legs which is nice to identify them.

Here is a video of some Eastern Gray Tree Frog males calling that I took

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla chrysoscelis
Location:
Everywhere besides northeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Location:
Statewide besides western border
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper is a notoriously loud frog and one of the first signs of spring. It has a noticeable X marking on its back.

Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris maculata
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Boreal Chorus Frog has three stripes on its back are often not broken and if one is, its the middle.

Common Name: Cajun Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris fouqettei
Location:
Southeast corner
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Upland Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris feriarum
Location:
Southeast corner
Breeding Season:

The Upland and Cajun Chorus Frog are both found in the Southeast part of the state. They are very hard to tell apart. The best way to tell is by their calls and through genetic testing. The stripes on their back are often broken and can even appear as spots.

illinois_chorus_frog
Illinois Chorus Frog (Pseudacris illinoensis) 

Common Name: Illinois Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris illnoensis
Location:
Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Illinois Chorus Frog does not have a white line that extends off the lips while the other chorus frogs do.

Toads

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:
Northern half
Breeding Season:

The American Toad’s cranial crest and the parotoid gland to not touch or they are connected by a spur.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus cognatus
Location:
Along the Missouri River
Breeding Season:

The Cranial Crests of the Great Plains Toad form a V shape between the eyes

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus fowleri
Location:
Western half
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location:
Western half
Breeding Season:

The Fowler’s and Woodhouse’s Toads both have cranial crests that form opposing L shapes. The Fowler’s Toad has largest, dark spots on its back that have 3 or more warts in them.

Spadefoot Toads – Scaphiopodidae 

Common Name: Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus holbrookii
Location:
Southeast corner
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Spadefoot toad’s spade is sickle shaped.

Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea bombifrons
Location:
Along the Missouri River
Breeding Season:

The Plains Spadefoot Toad has a rounded spade compared to the Eastern Spadefoot Toad.

Narrowed Mouth Toad Family – Microhylidae

Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Narrow Mouthed Frog has a dark belly and often has a broad line down its back.

Common Name: Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne olivacea
Location:
Western edge
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad has a light, unmarked belly and has no patterns and a few spots on its back.

.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Oklahoma

Frogs and Toads of Oklahoma

If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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.

Oklahoma is home to a great variety of frogs and toad species.

Frogs

Frogs in the state are from two different families, Hylidae – the Tree Frogs, and Ranidae – the True Frogs.

True Frogs – Ranidae

Green Frog  / Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog / Bronze Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Eastern border of the state
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog has partial dorsal ridge down the side of their body.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbeiana
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. Their dorsal ridge wraps around their tympanum.

Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana blairi
Location:
Everywhere besides eastern border of the state
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sphenocephalus
Location:
Eastern half of the state
Breeding Season:

The Plains and Southern Leopard Frog can be hard to tell apart. The Southern Leopard Frog’s dorsal ridge down their back is unbroken while the Plains dorsal ridge can be broken.

Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana palustris
Location:
Eastern border of the state
Breeding Season:

Pickeral Frog and the Leopard Frogs look very much a like. The Pickeral Frog has more square shaped spots on its back while the Leopard frogs has more circular ones.

Common Name: Crawfish Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana areolatus
Location:
Eastern half
Breeding Season:

The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes. Its has skin fold on the side and a small tympanum.

Tree Frog Family- Hylidae

Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris blanchardi
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Blanchard’s Cricket Frog is the only cricket frog in the state. Its skin is relatively more rough than the other tree frogs in the state. It also has no distinct markings.

Tree Frogs – Hyla

Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor) and Copes Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Location:
Eastern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla chrysoscelis
Location:
Eastern half
Breeding Season:

These two frogs are identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. These tree frogs are also larger than the ones below. Also note that Gray Tree Frogs are not always gray and can be green.

Here is a video of some Eastern Gray Tree Frogs calling that I took.

Common Name: Bird-Voiced Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla avivoca
Location:
Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Gray Tree Frogs and the Bird-Voiced Frog look very much a like. The difference is the coloration on the inner thigh. The Gray Tree Frogs have brighter orange color on the thigh while the Bird-Voiced Frog is more greenish-yellow.

Common Name: Squirrel Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla squirella
Location:
Southeast corner of the state
Breeding Season:

Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Common Name: Green Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla cinerea
Location:
Southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

The Green Tree Frog and the Squirrel Tree Frog look very much alike. The Green Tree Frog has a white stripe that runs down their side.

Chorus Frogs – Pseudacris

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Location:
Eastern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper is a notoriously loud frog and one of the first signs of spring. It has a noticeable X marking on its back.

Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)

Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris maculata
Location:
Northern border
Breeding Season:

The Boreal Chorus Frog has three lines that run down its back and are rarely broken up but if they are, its usually only the middle stripe.

Cajun Chorus Frog (Pseudacris fouquettei)

Common Name: Cajun Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris fouquettei
Location:
Eastern half of the state
Breeding Season:

Cajun Chorus Frog has three stripes that run down its back that are often broken up and can appear as spots.

Strecker’s Chorus Frog (Pseudacris streckeri)

Common Name: Strecker’s Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris streckeri
Location:
Everywhere besides the panhandle
Breeding Season:
February to March

The Strecker’s Chorus Frog lacks doesn’t have any pattern of stripes or dots on its back. It has a line that runs through its eye and down its side though.

9370
Spotted Chorus Frog (Pseudacris clarkii)

Common Name: Spotted Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris clarkii
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Spotted Chorus Frog obviously has spots that are green and are bordered by black.

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Toads

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 the state
Breeding Season:

The American Toad’s cranial crest and the parotoid gland to not touch or they are connected by a spur. Its found on the eastern part of the state.

Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus fowleri
Location:
Eastern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Fowler’s Toad appears similar to the American Toad. Their postorbital ridge touches their parotid gland. They also have a white belly while the American Toad’s is speckled.

Common Name: Red Spotted Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus punctatus
Location:
Western half of the state
Breeding Season:

The Red-Spotted Toad’s cranial crest are not present or small. The parotoid gland is also rather small.

Common Name: Green Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus debilis
Location:
Southwestern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Green Toad doesn’t have a prominent cranial crest but has an elongated parotoid gland.

Common Name: Texas Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus speciosus
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Texas Toad ‘s cranial crests absent or weak with no stripe down its back. The tubercles on its feet are black and sharp edged.

Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Woodhouse’s Toad has opposing L shaped cranial crests.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus cognatus
Location:
Everywhere besides eastern border area
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad has V shaped cranial crest

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Spadefoot Toad Family  – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Hurter’s Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus hurteri
Location:
Eastern half
Breeding Season:

The Hurter’s Spadefoot Toad has a sickle-shaped spade on their rear foot and have a boss / bump between the eyes.

Common Name: Couch’s Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Scaphiopus couchii
Location:
Southwestern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Couch’s Spadefoot Toad has a sickle-shaped spade and has no boss / bump between the eyes.

Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea bombifrons
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

.The Plains Spadefoot Toad has a bony boss / bump between its eyes and round spade on its rear feet that can help identify it.

Common Name: Mexican Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea multiplicata
Location:
Western half
Breeding Season:

The Mexican Spadefoot Toad has no boss between its eyes and has a round spade on its rear feet.

Narrow Mouthed Toad Family – Microhylidae

Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouth Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Location:
Eastern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad has a dark belly and often has a broad line down its back.

Common Name: Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne olivacea
Location:
Central Part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad has a light, unmarked belly and has no patterns and a few spots on its back.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Kansas

Frogs and Toads of Kansas

If you are looking to identify certain frogs and toads that you found 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 Frogs – Ranidae

Common Name: Crawfish Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana areolatus
Location:
Eastern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes. Its has skin folds on the side and a small typanum. It also has a pair of vocal sacs for calling.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name:
Rana catesbeiana
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The American Bullfrog is the largest native frog in the United States. There is no dorsal ridge that runs down its back on the American Bullfrog. This is the distinguishable characteristics of the frog.

Green Frog / Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog / Bronze Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana clamitans
Location:
Southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

The Green Frog / Bronze Frog looks very much like the American Bullfrog but it’s a tad smaller. It has a dorsal ridge that runs down its back but they are incomplete and do not reach all the way.

Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana blairi
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Southern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name:
Rana sphenocephalus
Location:
Eastern edge of the state
Breeding Season:

The Southern Leopard Frog and Plains Leopard Frog appear identical. They both have large spots all over their body. The difference between the frogs lies in their dorsal ridge. The Southern Leopard Frog’s ridge runs straight down the side while the Plains Leopard Frog’s ridge indents near the butt.

Tree Frog Family- Hylidae

Kansas is home to a nice variety of tree frogs.

Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Scientific Name:
Acris blanchardi
Location:
Statewide besides the western border
Breeding Season:

The Northern Cricket Frog is the only cricket frog in the state. Its skin is relatively more rough than the other tree frogs in the state. It also has no distinct markings.

Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) and Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla versicolor
Location:
Eastern edge
Breeding Season:

These two frogs are identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. These tree frogs are also larger than the ones below. Also note that Gray Tree Frogs are not always gray and can be green.

Here is a video of some Eastern Gray Tree Frog males calling that I took

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name:
Hyla chrysoscelis
Location:
Eastern half
Breeding Season:

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris crucifer
Location:
Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper is a notoriously loud frog and one of the first signs of spring. It has a noticeable X marking on its back.

Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris maculata
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

The Boreal Chorus Frog has three lines that run down its back and are rarely broken up but if they are, its usually only the middle stripe.

Strecker’s Chorus Frog (Pseudacris streckeri)

*State Threatened Species*

Common Name: Strecker’s Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris streckeri
Location:
Harper, Pratt, Barber and Kingman counties
Breeding Season:

The Strecker’s Chorus Frog lacks doesn’t have any pattern of stripes or dots on its back. It has a line that runs through its eye and down its side though.

9370
Spotted Chorus Frog (Pseudacris clarkii)

Common Name: Spotted Chorus Frog
Scientific Name:
Pseudacris clarkii
Location:
Southern half of the state
Breeding Season:

The Spotted Chorus Frog obviously has spots that are green and are bordered by black.

Toads

True Toads – Bufonidae

American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

Common Name: American Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus americanus
Location:
Eastern border
Breeding Season:

The American Toad’s cranial crest and the parotoid gland to not touch or they are connected by a spur.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus cognatus
Location:
Everywhere besides eastern border area
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad has a V shaped cranial crest between their eyes.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location:
Statewide
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Red Spotted Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus punctatus
Location:
Western half of the state
Breeding Season:

The Red-Spotted Toad’s cranial crest are not present or small. Parotoid gland is also rather small.

Common Name: Green Toad
Scientific Name:
Anaxyrus debilis
Location:
Southwestern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Green Toad doesn’t have a prominent cranial crest but has an elongated parotoid gland.

Narrow Mouthed Toad – Microhylidae

Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Location:
Southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season:

The Eastern Narrow Mouthed Frog has a dark belly and often has a broad line down its back.

Common Name: Western Narrow Mouthed Toad / Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad
Scientific Name:
Gastrophryne olivacea
Location:
Middle of the state
Breeding Season:

The Western Narrow Mouthed Toad has a light, unmarked belly and has no patterns and a few spots on its back.

Spadefoot Toad – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name:
Spea bombifrons
Location:
Everywhere besides southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Plains Spadefoot Toad is the only spadefoot toad in the state. It has keratonized “spades” on its rear legs that help with digging.

Frogs by State

Frogs and Toads of Arkansas

Frogs and Toads of Arkansas

If you are looking to identify specific frogs and toads of Arkansas 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 of Arkansas

True Frog Family – Ranidae

Common Name: Crawfish Frog
Scientific Name: Rana areolatus
Location: Western border +and along the Arkansas river
Breeding Season:

The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes. Its has skin folds on the side and a small typanum. It also has a pair of vocal sacs for calling.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Throughout state
Breeding Season: April to July

The American Bullfrog is the largest native frog in the United States. There is no dorsal ridge that run down the back of the American Bullfrog. Males of the species have a yellow throat while females have a white throat.

Green Frog / Bronze (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Bronze Frog or Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Throughout state
Breeding Season: April to July

The Green Frog looks very much like the American Bullfrog but it’s a tad smaller. It has a dorsal ridge that runs down its back but they are incomplete and do not reach all the way. Males of the species have a yellow throat while females have a white throat.

Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana blari
Location: Northern b