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KEY CHARACTERISTICS: Slim waist, long legs with pointed toes and extensive webbing, horizontal pupils, dorsolateral folds, smooth skin, excellent jumpers.
Rana catesbeiana (Bull Frog) |
Rana luteiventris (Columbia Spotted Frog) |
Rana muscosa (Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog) |
Rana papiens (Northern Leopard Frog) |
The true frog family, Ranidae, is represented by only one genus, Rana in North America. Key characteristics of true frogs include bony breast bones and horizontal eyes. They also have slim waist, long legs with pointed toes and extensive webbing on the hind feet. They typically have smooth skin, dorsolateral folds and are all good jumpers.
Breeding for true frogs typically occurs during the Spring with groups of males calling in females to the breeding areas. Breeding males have swollen forelimbs and thumbs that facilitate pectoral amplexus.
Females can lay up to 20,000 eggs in large rafts.
Eggs normally hatch within 30 days and tadpoles metamorphose into frogs
six month to two years later.
OTHER FAMILY PAGES:
|
(Mole Salamanders) |
(Tailed Frog) |
(Spadefoot Toads) |
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(True Toads) |
(Tree Frogs) |
(True Frogs) |
USDA,
Forest Service
Federal
Building
324
25th Street
Ogden,
Utah 84401