Description: Adult - The pine woods tree frog is a very small species, growing to a length of 0.98 to 1.50 inches. The color varies, sometimes being mottled brownish-gray, deep reddish-brown, gray, or grayish-green, usually with dark markings on its back. It is very similar in appearance to the squirrel tree frog but it can be distinguished from that species by the series of yellow, orange, or white dots that can be seen on the back of the thigh when the hind leg is extended. The toes have large toe pads but little webbing. Their distinctive call can be heard between April and October; it is a series of staccato sounds, giving it the nickname of "Morse code frog".
Pine woods tree frogs lay eggs in ephemeral water bodies. Eggs generally hatch within 24 hours, and tadpoles metamorphose into baby froglets after 50 to 75 days at 0.43 inches to 0.6 inches in length. Tadpoles are remarkably variable; similar to the squirrel tree frog (Hyla squirellus), the presence or absence of dragonfly larvae (a predator) induces a dramatic, red-colored tail.
Habitat: It climbs high in trees, but also sometimes descends to ground level and favors pine woods, savannahs, mixed pine and turkey oak woodlands, and cypress swamps. During droughts or cold weather, it hides in or under rotten logs or in moist crevices in trees.
Range: The pine woods tree frog is found in the southeastern United States on the plains of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, its range extending from Virginia to Florida and Louisiana.
Diet: Ants, beetles, crickets, flies, moths, spiders, wasps, and other small invertebrates.
Reproduction: Breeding takes place at any time between March and October. The male calls, especially at dusk, from locations close to water, such as trees, bushes, and inside clumps of vegetation. The female lays 800 to 2,000 eggs in clusters of 100 eggs just below the water's surface, which may be a ditch or temporary pool. The tadpoles are fully developed and ready to undergo metamorphosis at about two months old. There is evidence that suggests they can produce a second clutch in the same reproductive season allowing for two sets of eggs. Pine woods treefrog tadpoles may exhibit predator-induced phenotypic plasticity. Tadpoles exposed to predators develop deeper and shorter bodies and tails, smaller overall body size, and increased orange fin coloration and black tail outline. However, low food resources may inhibit the development of this induced morphology as it is energetically costly.
Status: The pine woods tree frog is listed as being of "Least Concern" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its large population is believed to be stable, and it is common over much of its wide range. Although this species is listed as least concern, respecting and protecting its habitat is still a priority. This idea is relevant because of the treefrog species, the pine woods tree frog is one of the most sensitive in terms of habitat change. Therefore, environmental changes significantly effect the ability of this species to remain successful.
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Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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