Pacific tree frog
| Pacific tree frog | |
|---|---|
_3.JPG) |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hylidae |
| Genus: | Pseudacris |
| Species: | P. regilla |
| Binomial name | |
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Pseudacris regilla (Baird & Girard, 1852) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Hyla regilla Baird and Girard, 1852 |
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Hyla regilla Baird and Girard, 1852
The Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla), also known as the Pacific chorus frog, has a range from the West Coast of the United States (from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington) to British Columbia in Canada and extreme southern Alaska. They live from sea level to more than 10,000 feet in many types of habitats, reproducing in aquatic settings. They occur in shades of greens or browns and can change colors over periods of hours and weeks.
The naming of this frog has a very confusing history. First, the frog was moved from the genus Hyla to the genus Pseudacris in 1986. Then, in 2006, Recuero et al. split the frog into three species. Recuero et al. attached the name Pseudacris regilla with the central component, Pseudacris hypochondriaca with southern (Baja Californian) component, and Pseudacris pacifica with northern component. However, if this split is accepted, the correct name (i.e., the oldest available name) for the northern component is Pseudacris regilla and for the central one Pseudacris sierra. This revision remains controversial. The Amphibian Species of the World 6.0 recognizes the split, but uses the name Pseudacris regilla for the northern component, the definition followed in this article.
The Pacific tree frog grows up to 2 inches from snout to urostyle. The males are usually smaller than the females and have a dark patch on their throats. The dark patch is the vocal sac, which stretches out when the male is calling. Pacific tree frogs can be a number of different colors, including green, tan, reddish, gray, brown, cream, and black, but most are a shade of green or brown, with pale or white bellies. They have a variety of dark and spotty markings on their backs and sides and can be identified by a black or dark brown eye stripe that stretches from the nose, across the eye, and back to the shoulder. They can change color seasonally to better match their environments. Their skin is covered in small bumps. They have long legs compared to their bodies and they tend to be slender. Their toes are long and only very slightly webbed. On the end of each toe is a round, sticky toe pad or disk used for climbing and sticking to surfaces.
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Wikipedia