Blogging about field adventures, interesting species, and wildlife ecology and conservation.
Blog post by Christopher E. Smith (FieldEcology.com). Subscribe via e-mail, RSS, or follow on Twitter.
Where the Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) and the Mink Frog (Lithobates septentrionalis) co-occur, confusion over species identity often exists. This post highlights a few morphological features to help with species identification in the field. Below are a few useful features to examine when differentiating between green frogs and mink frogs.
Read MoreEach spring and fall, visitors from around the world -- literally -- seeking amphibian and reptile encounters descend on southern Illinois to partake in a twice annual migratory phenomenon. The destination, Snake Road, is nestled within the U.S. Forest Service administered Shawnee National Forest - LaRue-Pine Hills-Otter Pond Research Natural Area, and is home to just over 20 species of snake (Palis 2016).
Read MoreThe Great Plains Toad is a wide-ranging species found primarily in the arid west and grasslands of the north-central states (Fig. 1). It reaches the eastern edge of its range in the tallgrass prairies of Minnesota and Missouri. It is an explosive breeder following heavy rains, and prefers to breed in shallow temporary fishless wetlands. In Minnesota and North Dakota, breeding typically occurs in late May or June (personal observation).
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