Kingdom Animalia Order Anura Genus Acris Higher classification Cricket frog | Phylum Chordata Family Hylidae Scientific name Acris gryllus Rank Species | |
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Similar Cricket frog, Frog, Amphibians, Northern cricket frog, Pine woods tree frog | ||
Calling male southern cricket frog acris gryllus
The southern cricket frog or southeastern cricket frog (Acris gryllus) is a small hylid frog native to the Southeastern United States. It is very similar in appearance and habits to the northern cricket frog, Acris crepitans, and was considered formerly conspecific (Dickerson 1906). The scientific name Acris is from the Greek word for locust, and the species name gryllus is Latin for cricket (Georgia Wildlife).
Contents
- Calling male southern cricket frog acris gryllus
- Southern cricket frog ncnn
- Description
- Range and habitat
- Habits
- Reproduction
- Subspecies
- References
Southern cricket frog ncnn
Description
At 0.75–1.5 inches (16–32 mm) in length, Acris gryllus is even smaller than A. crepitans. Other characters that differentiate the southern species are:
Range and habitat
The southern cricket frog is characteristic of coastal plain bogs, bottomland swamps, ponds, and ditches. It prefers sunny areas, and is usually not found in woodlands. Subspecies Acris gryllus gryllus is found in the Atlantic Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia through the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, west to the Mississippi River. It is found mostly east of the fall line, but extends into more upland areas of the Piedmont along river valleys. Subspecies Acris gryllus dorsalis is found throughout the Florida peninsula.
Habits
The southern cricket frog feeds on insects, spiders, and other arthropods. It is active throughout the year in warm weather.
Reproduction
Breeding is in late spring and summer. The advertisement call of the males is a loud rapid gick, gick, gick. Up to 150 eggs are laid at a time, and more than one mass may be produced in a season (Martof et al. 1980).