We encountered a little grass frog on our last field trip. Upon first glance at this tiny frog, everyone guessed it was a baby or juvenile frog from the hyla family (based on the presence of toe pads), but after a closer examination of the proportions of the frog, it was determined to be a little grass frog. Pseudacris ocularis typically range in size from 0.5 to 0.75 inches, making them the smallest North American frog. Color is often variable in this species, so it was not used as the primary factor in determining the species. The sex of the frog was not determined, and it was guessed to be a young adult. The frog was jumping a good bit, probably because it was a warmer day. The frog was found in fallen foliage around a small pond within the forest. These frogs are typically found in moist grassy habitats near temporary ponds.
I was very pleased that this frog species was found since it's the smallest species in North America! You would think the smallest species would be the hardest to find, but it is one of the few frog species we've actually encountered on the field trips. I thought it was absolutely adorable! Discovering organisms in the field has been really cool, and it's nice to be able to apply our classroom knowledge to the natural habitat of these organisms.
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Your classmate,
Laura
1 comment:
Love these little frogs! How large was the individual we found?
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