Frogs and Toads of Norway

November 22, 2018October 31, 2021 Adam

Frogs and Toads of Norway

Norway isn’t home to that many species of frogs and toads, only four.

Frogs

True Frog Family – Ranidae

The Pool Frog is found barely in the southern part of the country. Its green color separates it from the other frogs in the country, making it easier to identify.

RanaArvalisFemale — Moor Frog (*Rana arvalis*)

European Common Frog (*Rana temporaria*)

The European Common Frog and the Moor Frog look just alike. The Common Frog has a more blunt head than the Moor Frog. The Moor Frog can also have more of a striped pattern. Neither characteristics are that great at identifying them sadly. The Common Frog is actually found more throughout the country while the Moor Frog is found in the southern part of the country.

Toads

True Toad Family – Bufonidae

The Common Toad is the only toad found in the country. They have dry, bumpy skin that makes them easy to identify. It is generally found along the coast of the country.

Frogs of the World

Amazon Milk Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix)

May 20, 2018January 21, 2022 Adam

Common Name: Amazon Milk Frog, Mission Golden-eyed Tree Frog, Boatman Frog, Blue Milk Frog, and Wife Toad
Scientific Name: Trachycephalus resinifictrix
Family: Hylidae – Tree Frog Family
Location: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela
Size: 3-5 inches (7.6 – 12.7 cm) with females being slightly larger than males

The fairy large tree frog species, the Amazon Milk Frog, lives in the canopy of tropical rain forests of South America. Like most tree frog species, they are arboreal (lives in the trees) and nocturnal (active at night). The Amazon Milk Frog is named the “Milk” frogs because they will release a milky secretion that they produce, when threatened by a predator to scare them off.

You can find them commonly in the pet trade now because of their beauty even if they are inactive during most of the day. They are an easier of species of frogs to take care of. Make sure to read my article about preparing for a pet frog or toad before buying an Amazon Milk Frog.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the frog as Least Concern for Extinction. They have a wide range and are thought to be abundant throughout it. Clear cutting of the forests the frogs call home threatens local populations, but overall, the frog seems to be doing ok.

Amazon Milk Frog Reproduction

They will start breeding during the rainy season, between November and May. The males call from water filled tree holes. Once a female arrives, the male grasps her from behind in amplexus. Then, she lays her eggs in the hole and the male fertilizes them. The female lays around 2500 in a clutch. Then, the eggs hatch into tadpoles the very next day. The tadpoles stay in the tree and eat vegetation or other eggs that haven’t hatched yet until they complete their metamorphism.

Frogs of the World

Blyth’s River Frog (Limnonectes blythii)

April 15, 2018February 18, 2020 Adam

Limnonectes_blythii_from_Thailand — photo by Psumuseum

Common Name: Blyth’s River Frog, Giant Asian River Frog, or Blyth’s Wart Frog
Scientific Name: Limnonectes blythii
Family: Dicroglossidae
Location: Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Size: females can reach 10.2 inches (25.9 cm), while males only reach 4.9 inches (12.4 cm) long

The Blyth’s River Frog is the largest frog in all of Asia. Their large size has its downsides, as people over harvested them for food as they can weigh more than 2 pounds (.9 kg). It is one of the reason why they are listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The frogs also aren’t doing too hot due to logging activities in the region.

The courtship behavior of Blyth’s River Frog is different than most frog species. Instead of males calling for the females, the females call. The male frogs completely lack a vocal sac. The male also creates a hollow in the stream for the females to lay their eggs. The males will then guard the eggs against predators that might try to eat them. The frogs are capable of breeding all year long.

Frogs of the World

Frogs and Toads of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

March 3, 2018August 22, 2019 Adam

Frogs and Toads of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Frogs

True Frog family – Ranidae

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Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)

The Green Frog is only found in Newfoundland. It has an incomplete dorsal ridge that runs nearly the length of its back.

The Mink Frog is only found in Labrador. They have an absent dorsal ridge or barely one.

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Northern Leopard Frog

The Northern Leopard Frog has a complete dorsal ridge. Its found only in Labrador.

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Wood Frog

The Wood Frog is known for the dark mask around its eyes. Its found only in the mainland.

Toads

True Toad Family – Bufonidae

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American Toad

The American Toad is the only toad in the whole province.

Frogs of the World

Frogs and Toads of Manitoba, Canada

March 3, 2018September 4, 2021 Adam

Frogs and Toads of Manitoba, Canada

Frogs

True Frog family – Ranidae

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Throughout the province
Breeding Season:

The Wood Frog is known for the mask around its eyes.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

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

The Northern Leopard Frog has large dark spots all over its body. They have a complete dorsal ridge.

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

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

The Green Frog’s dorsal ridge is incomplete and doesn’t reach its butt.

Common Name: Mink Frog
Scientific Name: Rana septrentionalis
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Mink Frog’s dorsal ridge is absent or weak. They are highly marbled.

Tree Frog family – Hylidae

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

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

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla chrysoscelis
Location: Throughout state
Breeding Season: End of April to early August

The Cope’s Gray Tree Frog and Eastern Gray Tree Frog are nearly identical. The only differences are their calls and chromosome numbers. Here’s a video I took of the Eastern Gray Tree Frog calling.

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

The Spring Peeper has a distinct X shape on its back. It is one of the first frogs to start calling during spring.

Boreal Chorus Frog (*Pseudacris maculata*)

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

The Boreal Chorus Frog has three stripes that run down its back. Here’s a video of one calling that I took.

Toads

True Toad family – Bufonidae

American Toad

American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

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

The American Toad’s cranial crest forms opposing L shapes.

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

The Great Plains Toad’s cranial crest forms a V shape between the eyes.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Spadefoot Toad family – Scaphiopodidae

1109 — Plains Spadefoot Toad (*Spea bombifrons*)

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

The Plains Spadefoot toad is the only spadefoot toad in the province. Look at the rear foot of the toad and you will find a keratinized spade on it which no other toad or frog in the province has.

Frogs of the World

Frogs and Toads of Alberta, Canada

March 3, 2018September 4, 2021 Adam

Frogs and Toads of Alberta, Canada

Frogs

True Frog family – Ranidae

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

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

The Wood Frog has a mask around its eyes. The colors of the wood frog varies from brown, silver, and red.

Columbia Spotted Frog (*Rana luteiventris*)

Common Name: Columbia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana luteiventris
Location: Western half
Breeding Season:

Columbia Spotted Frog has plenty of small dots all over its body that are lighter colored on the inside.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

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

The Northern Leopard Frog has large black, defined spots all over its body.

Tree Frog family – Hylidae

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

The Boreal Chorus Frog is the only tree frog in the province . It has three lines that run down its back. Here’s a video of one calling.

Toads

True Toad family – Bufonidae

American Toad

American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

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

The American Toad’s cranial crest forms opposing L shapes.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location: Southeast corner of the province
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad’s cranial crest forms a V shape between the eyes.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Common Name: Western Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus boreas
Location: Western half
Breeding Season:

The Western Toad does not have a cranial crest which separates it from the other true toads in the province.

Spadefoot Toad family – Scaphiopodidae

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

The Plains Spadefoot toad is the only spadefoot toad in the province. Look at the rear foot of the toad and you will find a keratinized spade on it which no other toad or frog in the province has.

Frogs of the World

Frogs and Toads of British Columbia, Canada

March 2, 2018September 4, 2021 Adam

Frogs and Toads of British Columbia, Canada

Canada isn’t home to a lot of frog species but British Columbia has a fair number of species.

Frogs

True Frog family – Ranidae

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

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

The Northern Leopard Frog has large, distinct spots on its body.

Common Name: Columbia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana luteiventris
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Columbia Spotted Frog has spots just like the leopard frog but they are smaller and lighter in the middle.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

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

Wood Frog has a distinct and bold mask around its eyes.

Northern Red Legged Frog (*Rana aurora)*

Common Name: Northern Red-legged Frog
Scientific Name: Rana aurora
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Red Legged Frog can have a mask around the eyes but its not very well defined. Underside of the hind legs also appear reddish.

Common Name: Oregon Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pretiosa
Location:
Breeding Season:

Oregon Spotted Frog has a slight mask around its eyes. The belly has spots on it.

Tree Frog family – Hylidae

Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla)

Common Name: Pacific Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris regilla
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Pacific Tree Frog lacks significant striping down its back.

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

Boreal Chorus Frog has three stripes that run down its back.

Tailed Frog family – Ascaphidae

The family Ascaphidae is known for the tails on the male frogs that help with reproduction. No other adult frogs have tails normally.

Common Name: Coastal Tailed Frog
Scientific Name: Ascaphus truei
Location: Western side
Breeding Season:

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (*Ascaphus montanus)*

Common Name: Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog
Scientific Name: Ascaphus montanus
Location: Southeastern border
Breeding Season:

Toads

True Toad family – Bufonidae

Common Name: Western Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus boreas
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Western Toad is the only true toad in the providence. It has a parotoid gland behind its eye that true toads have.

Spadefoot Toad family – Scaphiopodidae

Great Basin Spadefoot Toad (*Spea intermontana*)

Common Name: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea intermontana
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Great Basin Spadefoot Toad is the only spadefoot toad in the territory. It has a keratonized spade on its rear feet that it uses for digging.

Invasive Frogs

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

The American Bullfrog is a highly invasive frog species. Its introduction to the province signaled a decrease in numbers for other frog populations.