Pseudacris triseriata

The western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata), also known as striped chorus frog, or midland chorus frog is a species of frog found in Canada and the United States.

DESCRIPTION

• Western chorus frogs are small, 40 mm (1.6 in) long, smooth-skinned, and greenish-grey, reddish, olive, or brown in color. Differences in color can occur locally and should not be confused with range-specific populations.

• Typically, these frogs have three dark-brown or gray stripes that extend down the entire dorsal side. The dorsal stripes can be broken up, reduced, or even absent in certain specimens.

• The white or cream-colored underside, or ventral side, of the frog typically has dark, scattered flecks.

• A single white stripe runs along the upper lip, and a heavy dark stripe runs across the eye and along each side from the snout to the leg.

• A dark triangular spot on the head may also be seen in some individuals. These frogs have small, round toes without pads and very little webbing between each toe.

• Typically, males are smaller than females, and can be told apart from the females by their yellow vocal sacs when calling. When not calling, this sac looks like a dark, loose flap of skin beneath the throat.

• Tadpoles of the western chorus frog have gray or brown bodies. Their body shape is round, with clear tail fins and dark flecks. The intestinal coil can reportedly be seen through the belly skin if closely observed. Their lips are black.

REPRODUCTION

• Breeding occurs at different times throughout the various states where this frog resides.

• Typically, western chorus frog's breeding season starts in March through May, with April being the most active month.

• However, breeding takes place earlier in southern parts and can vary throughout the frog's entire range. The earliest sign of western chorus frog breeding occurs with choruses heard on sunny days.

• Males call to potential females over the course of several days or months. As the season continues, these competing male choruses move to the evenings and cloudy, rainy days. The lifespan of these frogs averages five years.

• After mating has occurred, females can lay between 500 and 1500 eggs during the entire breeding season.

• The female lays one cluster at a time, which can contain 20–300 eggs. The eggs are retained in a loose, gelatinous cluster, submerged below the water, and stuck to weeds or grasses found along the edges of shallow ponds, flooded swales, roadside ditches, flooded fields, open areas, and swamps.

• The eggs will hatch into tadpoles between three and 14 days after being laid. However, water temperature can be a limiting factor in the growth of both eggs and tadpoles. Colder water temperatures prevent the tadpoles and eggs from growing. Tadpoles metamorphose into froglets 40–90 days later.

HABITAT

• Western chorus frogs live in a variety of different habitats, but areas of more permanent water increase the risk of predation on eggs and/or tadpoles.

• To compensate for this, chorus frogs stick to mostly ephemeral freshwater areas, such as marshes, river swamps, meadows, grassy pools, and other open areas found in mountains and prairies.

• The western chorus frog remains close to these ephemeral aquatic habitats, since they provide excellent mating, breeding, and hibernation grounds. Since these areas tend to dry out, these frogs can be, but are less commonly, found in fallowed agricultural fields, damp woodlands, roadside ditches, and wooded swamps.