Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris)
Created: June 29th, 2010 - 08:20 AM
Last Modified: November 24th, 2020 - 04:09 PM Entered by: Nate Nazdrowicz
Record 49150
Last Modified: November 24th, 2020 - 04:09 PM Entered by: Nate Nazdrowicz
Record 49150
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Country: United States |
State: Maryland |
County: Cecil County |
Time: 2010-06-28 00:00:00 |
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Qty: 1 |
Age: Adult |
Sex: -- |
Method: DOR |
Habitat: ----- |
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Body Temperature: ----- |
Air Temperature: 80.00F |
Ground Temperature: ----- |
Humidity: ----- |
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Sky Conditions: Partly Cloudy |
Moon Phase: ----- |
Elevation: ----- |
Barometric Pressure: ----- |
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Notes
SVL=5.1 cm; HeadW=14.7 mm; TibiaL=26.7 mm
Vouchers
Specimen deposited at University of Delaware, Teaching Collection
Comments
If I had only seen the side profile picture, I probably wouldn't have questioned your ID at all. The top down view though makes me question it. You know the area better than I do though, and you said you have found other pickerels in the area. I will defer to your judgement on this one.
I see what you mean. But those spots are really round on your specimen. The one above are "blocky." I do not have much experience with L. pipiens, because they do not occur in my area. But we can post the pictures for others imput if you would like.
HerpNet.net mentions a yellow coloring on pipiens, and I have seen it mentioned in other places, but I would have to dig to find the original source.
For striping on the legs, this would be my best personal picture.
http://www.psychoticnature.com/photo/8587/northern_leopard_frog-lithobates_pipiens
It is not something I assumed was so out of the norm that it was worth documenting.
Very familiar. Can you provide some examples that show the characters you are are referring to in L. pipiens? Although "typical" palustris is a gray line, I would not consider this specimen too far over it. Nor this one #51927. But this one is #51935.
Are you familiar with the area the frog was found? Are more typical looking pickerel frogs found there often? Pipiens can have yellow coloring on the concealed surfaces even though it is rare, and I often find them with distinct stripes on the legs. The lack of previous records seems like a poor reason to dismiss pipiens given how close the known range comes to the area.
Yellow coloration on conceled surfaces of legs, pattern on legs forms distictive stripes, pipiens does not occur on Delmarva.
What is the basis for ID of palustris vs pipiens?