The little grass frog: A diminutive hylid
By Richard Bartlett · December 10, 2013 6:16 am
Meet the little grass frog (aka the least treefrog, and actually a chorus frog), Pseudacris ocularis.
They are the tiniest of the tiny, are a slender half-inch long and egg-laden females a whopping five-eighths of an inch.
Somewhere in Florida the tinkling vocalizations of this Liliputian chorus frog may be heard during every month of the year. Further north (it ranges widely along the coastal plain to the vicinity of Virginia's Great Dismal Swamp) it is a bit more seasonal, seeking seclusion during the coldest weather or during periods of extended drouth.
Although variable, this frog is usually of some shade of tan, often lighter on the sides and darker on the back and between the eyes. The dorsal and lateral colors are usually separated by a very thin dark line. It has a dark mask and this may continue rearward as a partial or complete brown lateral line.
Look or listen for this frog along the grassy/weedy shallow edges of ponds, marshes or swamps as well as in seasonally flooded roadside ditches.
More photos under the jump...
20 to 50 eggs are a normal complement for the little grass frog. These developing eggs are 3 days old:
 Author, photographer, and columnist Richard Bartlett is one of the most prolific writers on herpetological subjects in the 20th century. With hundreds of books and articles to their credit, Richard and his wife Pat have spent over four decades documenting reptiles both in the field and in captivity. For a list of their current titles, please visit their page in our bookstore. |
