Rio Grande Leopard Frog

Taxobox
name = Rio Grande Leopard Frog
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
familia = Ranidae
genus = "Rana"
species = "R. berlandieri"
binomial = "Rana berlandieri"
binomial_authority = (Baird, 1859)
synonyms = "Lithobates berlandieri"
"Rana halecina berlandieri"
"Rana halecina austricola"
"Rana virescens austricola"
"Rana austricola"
"Rana pipiens berlandieri"
"Rana pipiens austricola"

The Rio Grande Leopard Frog ("Rana berlandieri",Hillis, D. M. 2007. Constraints in naming parts of the Tree of Life. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42:331-338.] ) is a species of aquatic frog native to the southern United States in Texas and New Mexico, and south through to central Mexico. It is also sometimes referred to as the Mexican Leopard Frog. The epithet "berlandieri" is in honor of the Belgian naturalist Jean Louis Berlandier, who worked for the Mexican government on one of the first biological surveys of Texas. ^{[http://ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html]}

Physical description

The Rio Grande Leopard Frog grows from 2.25 to 4.5 inches in length. They are usually tan, brown or pale green in color with distinctive black spotting with prominent light colored ridges down either side of the back. Their nose is angular, and they have long powerful legs with webbed feet.

Ecology and behavior

Primarily aquatic, and mostly nocturnal, though it can be often found during the day resting along the edge of the water. Despite their geographic range being mostly arid or semi-arid, they inhabit permanent water sources, such as streams, creeks and ponds. They are insectivorous, but like most frogs, will eat almost anything they can overpower and swallow. Mating occurs during the rainy periods of the spring and fall. The males make a rattling call which is loud enough to be heard a quarter mile or more away. Eggs are laid in large masses attached to aquatic vegetation.

Taxonomy

The Rio Grande Leopard Frog was once considered a subspecies of the Northern Leopard Frog, ("Rana pipiens"), but was later recognized as a distinct species due to morphological differences. Recent research has placed Rio Grande Leopard frogs in the subgenus "Scurrilirana".Hillis, D. M. 2007. Constraints in naming parts of the Tree of Life. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42:331-338.] Hillis, D. M., and T. P. Wilcox. 2005. Phylogeny of the New World True Frigs ("Rana"). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34:299-314.]

Geographic range & status

Found from central Texas, to New Mexico (where it is listed as vulnerable), south through Mexico to Vera Cruz. It is easily confused, with other species that share its range, such as the Plains Leopard Frog ("Rana blairi"). It is unknown whether hybridization occurs. The species has also been introduced to the Colorado River, in California and Arizona and is known to be expanding its range south into Mexico in the state of Baja California. It is believed to be contributing to the population reduction of the Lowland Leopard Frog, ("Rana yavapaiensis"), which is native to the region. This expansion of range is the primary factor in the Rio Grande Leopard Frog being classified as least concern, by the IUCN Red List.

Footnotes

References

* [http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/references.php?id=18059 Amphibian Species of the World: "Rana berlandieri"]
* [http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/r.berlandieri.html California Herps: Rio Grande Leopard Frog]
* [http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/frogs/rana.berlandieri.html Herps of Texas: "Rana berlandieri"]
* (1983): Phylogeny and biogeography of the "Rana pipiens" complex: A biochemical evaluation. "Systematic Zoology' 32: 132-143.
* (1988): Systematics of the "Rana pipiens" complex: Puzzle and paradigm. "Annual Review of Systematics and Ecology" 19: 39-63.
* [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/58561/summ IUCN Redlist of Threated species: "R. berlandieri"]
* [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/rangemap.php?species=58561 IUCN Range
]