Hopping right along

We started our discussion of frogs in the area last week with the two “true’” toads that inhabit our region – Fowler’s toad and the American toad. We are left with about a dozen other representatives of the order Anura. We are headed from the “true” toads, Bufonidae, to the “true” frogs, Ranidae. But, of course, nature will have a couple of detours for us along the way.

We will begin with the “untrue” toads. There are two species of uncommon toad-like frogs in the region, representing two different families. The eastern spadefoot toad is a small (2-3 inches) subterranean frog that looks much like a toad with moist skin. The spadefoot, Scaphiopus holbrooki, is in the family Pelobatidae. It gets its name from a horny, black, spade-like projection (used for burrowing) found along the inner border of the foot. These frogs only surface at night to feed and during the breeding season. Their call is a low-pitched grunt or “wuunk” repeated every couple of seconds.

The other “untrue” toad is the eastern narrowmouth toad, Gastrophyrne carolinensis of the family Microhylidae. Common throughout the coastal plain and piedmont of the Carolinas this frog is absent from the mountains but is included here because it can be found in Cades Cove in the GSMNP. This 1- to 1.5-inch “toad” also has smooth moist skin. The Jabba-the-Hut-like squat body and pointed snout with a unique lateral fold across the back of the head readily identify this brownish frog with lighter dorsal blotches. The call of this secretive terrestrial creature is reminiscent of the bleat of a lamb.

There are six representatives of the family Hylidae. These are the treefrogs, peepers and chorus frogs. These small frogs are not easily detected, except when they congregate for breeding.

Acris crepitans is the northern cricket frog. It is between .5 and 1.5 inches long. During breeding season you can hear the northern cricket frog singing from open marshy areas and along lake and pond edges. The song is a series of 20 to 30 clicks, like two pebbles being clicked together. It starts slowly and speeds up near the end.

A couple of chorus frogs may be found in the region. The mountain chorus frog, Pseudacris brachyphona, is known from the very southwestern tip of North Carolina. The call from this little 1- to 1.5-inch frog is a sharp, raspy “wrreennk” generally heard from February through April.

Pseudacris feriarium, the upland chorus frog, is found at low elevations across the mountains and in Cades Cove in the GSMNP. It is about the same size as the mountain chorus frog. Its early spring call sounds like the “crreenk” one gets from rubbing one’s thumbnail along the teeth of a comb.

The next two species are basically identical in appearance. Hyla versicolor, the gray treefrog, and Hyla chrysoscelis, Cope’s treefrog, are not readily distinguished by appearance. These gray tree dwellers have broad suction-cup disks at the ends of their toes for climbing. They are easily distinguished by voice. The trill of the Cope’s is louder and faster with up to 45 notes per second. The gray treefrog’s call is slower and softer with only about 25 trills per second.

Pseudacris crucifer, the spring peeper, is a tiny .75- to 1.25-inch frog that goes generally unnoticed except for now. Peepers congregate anywhere there is standing water in the spring. The chorus of loud sharp “peeps” sounds like a convention of cops piping on their whistles. You can get a dose of these choristers right now, in the evening, at Vance Park across from the Waynesville Recreation Center.

Our last four frogs are the “true” frogs — the family Ranidae. These are the celebrated leapers of Calaveras County.

We start with the largest. Rana catesbeiana is the bullfrog. It may reach eight inches or more in length. The sonorous bass call of this water-loving denizen is often characterized as “jug-o-rum.” If you ever find yourself in the middle of breeding population of bullfrogs it can be deafening.

Rana clamitans, the green frog, is a miniature bullfrog about 2 to 3.5 inches in length. When you startle one of these critters they give a sharp “wreeenk” as they leap into deeper water. Their breeding call is a low banjo-strummed “c’tung.”

Rana palustris is the pickerel frog. This 2- to 3.5-inch frog has a double row of dorsal spots. This is the Rip Van Winkle of late winter and early spring nights with a low snoring call that lasts a couple of seconds.

Probably the earliest mountain breeder is the wood frog, Rana sylvatica. This 1.5- to 3.5-inch frog often breeds in January and February. While they congregate in large numbers around vernal pools they often go unnoticed because their raspy duck-like “craw-aww-kkk” doesn’t carry far.

You should get out this spring around dusk and listen for these crooners. Get a tape or CD of frog calls and you will be amazed at how easy it is to identify many area frogs.

(Don Hendershot can be reached at ddihen@juno.com.)