Fact File
Scientific Name: Pseudacris nigrita
Classification: Amphibian
Conservation Status:
- Species of Greatest Conservation Need-Tier 4a on the Virginia Wildlife Action Plan
Size: Up to 1.25 inches
Distribution: This species reaches the northern extent of its range in southeastern Virginia where it is typically found in wet meadows, shallow grassy ponds, power-line corridors, or at the edges of pine forests.
Identifying Characteristics
A small light tan or gray frog with small toe pads and a dark brown or blackish stripe extending from the snout down each side. A white line runs along the lip. On the back are usually three rows of broken stripes or blotches. Lacks the dark triangle mark between the eyes, which is characteristic of the Upland Chorus Frog.
Did You Know?
This species wasn’t discovered in Virginia until 2003.
Role in the Web of Life
They breed from January-May in open, grassy ponds, ditches, and other depressional wetlands. Eggs are typically laid in small clusters attached to vegetation. Although primarily nocturnal, it is occasionally found during the daytime.
Their advertisement call has been described as a cold or tired sounding Upland Chorus Frog. However, the individual pulses of the trill in the Southern Chorus frog can be counted.
Conservation
Tier IV Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Virginia’s Wildlife Action Plan
Last updated: March 23, 2021