Description
This is a moderate sized, true frog with smooth tan skin. It
has prominent yellow dorsolateral ridges and
bright yellow on the belly and undersides of the hind legs. It is distinguished
from other frogs by the parallel rows of dark, squarish spots down the
back. Adults can grow to almost 9 cm.
Call
The call of the Pickerel Frog is a low snore somewhat like the
lowing of a cow. It does not carry very far and is often missed in calling
surveys. Pickerel Frogs sometimes call from under water. It is similar
to that of the Leopard Frog but lacks the short
grunts of a full Leopard Frog call.
Confusing Species
The Pickerel Frog is most similar to the Leopard
Frog, however the Leopard Frog may be either green or brown and lacks
the bright yellow underside. In addition, the spots on a Leopard Frog are
more round or oval.
Distribution
The Pickerel Frog is distributed throughout much of eastern
North America including southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia. It is more common than the Leopard Frog in the Maritimes
but less common in the western part of its range.
Habitat
Pickerel Frogs prefer ponds and streams with stable water temperatures.
They particularly like springs and cold seepages. In some parts of the
United States they even occupy caves. They spend part of the summer foraging
in fields and meadows.
Reproduction
Pickerel Frogs breed from mid to late spring, somewhat later
than Leopard Frogs in the same area. Egg masses of 2-3,000 eggs are laid
in still waters and hatch in 11-21 days. Tadpoles transform after about
80 days.
Natural history
Pickerel Frogs take two to three years to reach maturity and
they typically live to age four. Pickerel Frogs feed on snails, small crayfish
and a variety of insects.
Conservation Concerns
Local declines of Pickerel Frogs have been reported from Ontario
and Quebec. There is no evidence for declines in New Brunswick or Nova
Scotia.
|
