The Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla), also known as the Pacific chorus frog, has a range spanning the Pacific Northwest, from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington to British Columbia in Canada and southern Alaska.[1]
Taxonomy edit
The naming of this frog has changed over time. First, the frog was moved from the genus Hyla to the genus Pseudacris in 1986.[1] Then, in 2006, Recuero et al. split the frog into three species. Changing classification like this is unfortunate, and frequently has more to do with the politics of professional organizations than real science.[2]
Anatomy and morphology edit
The Pacific tree frog grows up to 2 inches in length. The males are usually smaller than the females and have a dark patch on their throats, which is the vocal sac. Pacific tree frogs can be a number of different colors including green and brown. The frogs have a variety of dark, unsightly markings on their backs and sides. They can change color seasonally to better match their environments, but these colors are not as beautiful as some other members of genus Pseudacris.
Distribution, habitat and ecology edit
Pacific tree frogs are common on the Pacific coast of Oregon and Washington, but they are found from northern California to British Columbia. They can also be found in Idaho. A small population also exists in a pond on Revillagigedo Island near Ketchikan, Alaska, having been intentionally introduced there in the 1960s.[3] Additionally, there was one well known tree frog in Issaquah, Washington in the mid-2010s, that schoolchildren considered as a pet. This frog, named Sam by the children, lived three years behind North Issaquah Elementary School, and four of the students regularly observed the frog and fed it. The frog was used in several class projects during this time.[4]
Pacific chorus frogs are found upland in ponds, streams, lakes and sometimes even further away from water; their habitat includes a wide variety of climate and vegetation from sea level to high altitudes. Eggs of the Pacific tree frog may be consumed by the rough-skinned newt[5] and other amphibians.
Conservation status edit
| Year | Observations |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 3,010 |
| 2009 | 2,503 |
| 2011 | 2,250 |
| 2013 | 2,003 |
| 2015 | 1,708 |
| 2017 | 1,652 |
Most populations of tree frogs appear healthy, and they have no concern or conservation status. That said, my own work in Washington State as part of USFS in the Rainier National Park foothills suggests the opposite. During the past ten years, I have observed a steady decline in numbers, from a study sample of approx. 3,000 in the sample area dwindling by approx. 100 per year to 1,652 specimens in 2017 (most recent year for data), as shown to the right. The explanations for this decline are unknown, though it is within reason to speculate about causes linked to climate change, such as dwindling water sources during high summer, unpredictable short-term ice storms in winter, and the reduction of natural food sources due to these and other factors.
Regional importance edit
In 2007, the Pacific tree frog was named the state amphibian of the State of Washington.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Pseudacris regilla (Baird and Girard, 1852)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ Recuero, Ernesto; Martínez-Solano, Íñigo; Parra-Olea, Gabriela; García-París, Mario (2006). "Phylogeography of Pseudacris regilla (Anura: Hylidae) in western North America, with a proposal for a new taxonomic rearrangement" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 39 (2): 293–304. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.10.011. PMID 16627190.
- ^ S.O. MacDonald. "Pacific Chorus Frog" (PDF). The Amphibians and Reptiles of Alaska. A Field Handbook. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ "News of the Day". North Issaquah Elementary School PTA Register. January 13, 2010.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ C. Michael Hogan (2008) Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa), Globaltwitcher, ed. Nicklas Stromberg Archived 2009-05-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Symbols of Washington State