Plains Leopard Frog

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Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Ranidae Genus: Rana Species: R. blairi
Binomial name
Rana blairi (Mecham, Littlejohn, Oldham, Brown, and Brown, 1973)
Synonyms
Lithobates blairi

The Plains Leopard Frog (Rana blairi^[1][2] It is sometimes referred to as Blair's Leopard Frog, named for the noted zoologist and University of Texas professor, Dr. W. Frank Blair.

Contents 1 Description 2 Behavior 3 Geographic distribution 4 Conservation status 5 Footnotes 6 References

[edit] Description

The Plains Leopard Frog grows from 2 to 3.24 inches in length, and is typically brown in color. Their common name originates from the distinctive irregular, dark colored spotting on their back. They have long, powerful legs and are capable of leaping great distances.

[edit] Behavior

Although found throughout semi-arid regions, the Plains Leopard Frog is almost always found in or very near permanent water sources, such as streams, creeks, and ponds. They are nocturnal, and primarily insectivorous, though they will eat almost anything they can overpower and swallow, including other frogs. They are shy animals, often fleeing beneath the water if approached.

[edit] Geographic distribution

The Plains Leopard Frog, as its name implies, is found throughout the Great Plains of the United States, from Indiana west across central and southern plains to South Dakota, south to Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, with a disjunct population in Arizona.

[edit] Conservation status

The Plains Leopard Frog is fairly common throughout its range, and holds no special conservation status, except in the state of Indiana, where it is a species of concern. Likely due to the generalized decline in amphibian populations that has been observed over the last several decades, often attributed to the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References