A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
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Treefrogs in California
(Also called Chorus Frogs)California Frogs and Toads: |
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| Enlarged toe tips | ||
If the frog you want to identify has enlarged toe pads, then it is a treefrog. (Also called a Chorus Frog.) Treefrogs in California are small, up to about 2 inches long. They vary widely in coloration, so use other details to identify them. There are two types of treefrogs in California which are easy to tell apart by the presence or absence of a dark stripe through each eye. |
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| The Baja Caifornia Treefrog, the Northern Pacific Treefrog, and the Sierran Treefrog all used to be known as the same frog: the Pacific Treefrog, and they might be called that again in the future, but for now they are considered to be three species. These three species occur throughout almost the entire state, and are probably the most commonly seen frogs in the California, and are certainly the most commonly heard. They all look and sound the same, so you need to look at a range map to determine which species you are looking at. These frogs come in a variety of colors and patterms, many of which are not shown here, so pay attention to details such as the size, the stripe through the eye, and the toe pads. |
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| Baja California Treefrog - Pseudacris hypochondriaca hypochondriaca (Color and pattern are variable.) |
Dark stripe through eye | |
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| Northern Pacific Treefrog - Pseudacris regilla Color and pattern are variable.) |
Dark stripe through eye | |
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| Sierran Treefrog - Pseudacris sierra Color and pattern are variable.) |
Dark stripe through eye | |
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Orange: Sierran Treefrog |
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| California Treefrogs are small frogs with enlarged toe tips, but they do not have a dark stripe through each eye. Their color varies, but not as much as the other treefrogs found in California, and you don't typically find them in bright green or reds. Mostly they are pale with some dark markings. |
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| California Treefrog Pseudacris cadaverina |
No stripe through eye | |
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