Natural History: Southern Cricket Frog

The Southern Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus gryllus) is a common frog found in the coastal plains of South Carolina, and they were particularly abundant on our most recent field trip to the ACE Basin. Stopping on a path with multiple small ponds, there were loads of small adults making great leaps in and around the ponds. The cricket frogs were no larger than a finger nail, so I was surprised by the distance that these frogs could jump! They ranged in coloration from all muddy brown to having bright lime or orange coloration on stripe pattern on their back, and I noticed their characteristically long legs and pointed snouts. These Southern Cricket frogs greatly resemble Acris crepitans, the Northern Cricket frog, but they have less webbing on their hind feet.

Acris gryllus perched on top of an empty turtle shell

The long legs of Acris gryllus

Southern Cricket frogs are biphasic, such that they undergo an aquatic tadpole phase and terrestrial adult phase. Females lay eggs auquatically in different clutches of about 10 eggs each, and can lay about a dozen of them. The tadpoles take 6-13 weeks to reach metamorphosis, and are distinct such that they have black-tipped tails. After metamorphosis, the frogs live in the coastal plains in moist or wetland environments. Also on our field trip, we heard some of these frogs calling, which sounded like the clicking of metal balls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3uzGR9NjhY). I was surprised by the fact that the cricket frogs are active day and night, but glad that I got to hear them calling. Overall, I enjoyed wading into these small ponds and catching cricket frog after cricket frog, fascinated with how well they blended into their surroundings and how quickly they could escape.

References:

http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/anurans/Acrcregry/Acr_cregry.html

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7120.html