Plains Leopard Frog

Taxobox
name = Plains Leopard Frog
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
familia = Ranidae
genus = "Rana"
species = "R. blairi"
binomial = "Rana blairi"
binomial_authority = (Mecham, Littlejohn, Oldham, Brown, and Brown, 1973)
synonyms =
"Lithobates blairi"

The Plains Leopard Frog ("Rana blairi"Hillis, D. M. 2007. Constraints in naming parts of the Tree of Life. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42:331-338.] Hillis, D. M., and T. P. Wilcox. 2005. Phylogeny of the New World True Frigs ("Rana"). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34:299-314.] It is sometimes referred to as Blair's Leopard Frog, named for the noted zoologist and University of Texas professor, Dr. W. Frank Blair.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Footnotes

References

* [http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/references.php?id=18071 Amphibian Species of the World: "Rana blairi"]
* [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rana_blairi.html Animal Diversity Web: "Rana blairi"]
* (1983): Phylogeny and biogeography of the "Rana pipiens" complex: A biochemical evaluation. "Systematic Zoology' 32: 132-143.
* (1988): Systematics of the "Rana pipiens" complex: Puzzle and paradigm. "Annual Review of Systematics and Ecology" 19: 39-63.