At about 10:00 on February 11Th, I was coming home from coaching volleyball when I heard a sound I just learned in Herpetology class. The noise sounded like someone running their fingers down a comb. The sound was coming from my pool area. We cover our pool during the winter and needless to say this is a mating site for all sorts of herps. It was a cool, cloudy night with moderate winds and good weather to find some early breeders. I ran in the house grabbed a flash light and my little brother and we went "herping"! It did not take long until we found this little guy. This guy is a part of the Pseudacris genus and species name triseriata. The common name being the western chorus frog. This species of frogs are often found in less permanent water environments. This reduces the chances of their eggs being harmed by predators. An interesting fact I found about these creatures is that their eggs and larvae development are dependent upon the temperature of the water. The colder the water the longer it takes the eggs/larvae to develop. Their breeding season is said to be from mid-March through late May, but it seems this little guy was hoping to breed early. The Tennessee weather this year is probably not helping either!
Lauren Trouy (Memphis, TN)
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