THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY


Amphibia    Anura    Ranidae  

North American Green Frog
Lithobates clamitans (Latreille in Sonnini de Manoncourt and Latreille, 1801)

Current SSAR Comments:
Austin and Zamudio (2008, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48: 1041–1053) reported on interpopulational variation at the molecular level and suggested an historical structure inconsistent with the traditionally recognized subspecies. Historically, two subspecies (L. c. clamitans, L. c. melanotus) of this taxon have been recognized although their usage has not been common in recent decades. MacGuigan et al. (2002, Ichthyology & Herpetology, 110: 602–617), reported on the molecular phylogeography, concluding that L. clamitans is a single species, where the notion of subspecies is of limited use. Lithobates okaloosae is closely related and previous evidence (Austin et al. (2003, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 80: 601–624; Austin and Zamudio, 2008, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48: 1041–1053) based on mtDNA indicated that L. okaloosae is nested within L. clamitans, perhaps as a result of hybridization. Nevertheless, the two forms are morphologically and ecologically distinct and the broader approach of MacGuigan (op. cit.) supported recognition of these two species, with little evidence for hybridization, and does not support recognition of subspecies within L. clamitans. We have adopted the modified English name of North American Green Frog (Meshaka et al., 2022, Exotic Amphibians and Reptiles, University Florida Press, 245pp.).

Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2023.04.09.21.41.44)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 2 MB

First instance(s) of published English names:
Black Frog (Ranaria (Rana L) melanota: Rafinesque, Constantine S. 1820. Annals of Nature or Annual Synopsis of New Genera and Species of Animals, Plants, and Discoveries in North America. First Annual Number, for 1820. Thomas Smith, Lexington, Kentucky. 16pp.); Common Spring Frog (Rana fontinalis: LeConte, John E. 1825. Remarks on the American species of the genera Hyla and Rana. Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York 1(2):278-282); Yellow-throated Green Frog (Rana flaviviridis: Harlan, Richard. 1826. Descriptions of several new species of batracian reptiles, with observations on the larvae of frogs. American Journal of Science and Arts 10():53-65); Spring Frog (Rana flaviviridis: Harlan, Richard. 1826. Descriptions of several new species of batracian reptiles, with observations on the larvae of frogs. American Journal of Science and Arts 10():53-65); Black Frog (Rana melanota: Harlan, Richard. 1826. Descriptions of several new species of batracian reptiles, with observations on the larvae of frogs. American Journal of Science and Arts 10():53-65); Bawling Frog (Rana clamata: Harlan, Richard. 1827. Genera of North American Reptilia, and a synopsis of the species Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philidelphia 5(2):317-372); Grunting Frog (Rana clamitans: Gray, John E. 1830. A synopsis of the species of the class reptilia. Pages 1-110 in The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, member of teh Institute of France, with Additional Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Named, and of many not before noticed. Ninth Volume. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London, England. pp.); Yellow Throated Green Frog (Rana frontinalis: Storer, D. H. 1839. Reports on the Ichthyology and Herpetology of Massachusetts. Reports on the Fishes, Reptiles and Birds of Massachusetts. Published Agreeably to an Order of the Legislature, by the Commissioners on the Zoological and Botanical Survey of the State. Dutton and Wentworth, State Printers, Boston, Massachusetts. pp.); Spring Frog (Rana fontinalis: De Kay, James E. 1842. Zoology of New-York, or, The New-York Fauna: Comprising Detailed Descriptions of All the Animals Hitherto Observed within the State of New-York, with Brief Notices of those Occasionally Found Near its Borders, and Accompanied by Appropriate Illustrations. Volume 1, Part 3 (Reptiles and Amphibians). W. & A. White & J. Visscher, Albany, New York. pp.); Green Frog (Rana clamitans: Allen, J. A. 1869. Catalogue of the reptiles and batrachians found in the vicinity of Springfield, Mass., with notices of all the other species known to inhabit the state. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural Hisotry 12(1868-1869):171-204); Green Frog (Rana clamitans: Jordan, David Starr. 1876. Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States: Including the District East of the Mississippi River, and North of North Carolina and Tennessee, Exclusive of Marine Species. Jansen, McClurg, and Company, Chicago, Illinois.. 342pp.); Spring Frog (Rana clamitans: Yarrow, Henry C. 1882. Check list of North American Reptilia and Batrachia with catalogue of specimens in U. S. National Museum. Bulletin of the United States National Museum (24):1-249); Green Frog (Rana clamata: Hay, Oliver P. 1892. Batrachians and Reptiles of the State of Indiana. Pages 409-624 in 17th Annual Report of the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources, William B. Burford, Printer and Binder, Indianapolis, Indiana. pp.); Southern Spring Frog (Rana clamitans: Rhoads, Samuel N. 1895. Contributions to the zoology of Tennessee. No. 1, Reptiles and amphibians. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 47():376-407); Northern Spring Frog (Rana clamitans melanota: Rhoads, Samuel N. 1895. Contributions to the zoology of Tennessee. No. 1, Reptiles and amphibians. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 47():376-407); Spring Frog (Rana clamata: Beyer, George. 1900. Louisana herpetology. Proceedings of the Louisiana Society of Naturalists 1897-1899():24-46); Green Frog (Rana clamata: Drowne, Frederick P. 1905. The reptiles and batrachians of Rhode Island. Monograph of the Roger Williams Park Museum 15():1-24); Bully (Rana clamata: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Spring Frog (Rana clamata: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Belly Bumper (Rana clamata: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Bull Frog (Rana clamata: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Yellow Throated Green Frog (Rana clamata: Fowler, Henry W. 1907. The amphibians and reptiles of New Jersey. MacCrellish and Quigley, Trenton, N. J.. 29-250pp.); Spring-frog (: Stejneger, Leonard and Thomas Barbour. 1917. A Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. pp.); Bullfrog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Common Spring Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Pond Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Bully (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Screaming Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Bawling Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Green Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Black Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Yellow-throated Green Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Belly Bumper (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); Spring Frog (Rana clamitans: Wright, Anna Allen, and Alex Hazen Wright. 1933. Handbook of frogs and toads. The frogs and toads of the United States and Canada Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. xi+231pp.); North American Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans: Meshaka, Walter E. Jr., R. Bruce Bury, Suzanne L. Collins, and Malcolm L. McCallum. 2022. Exotic Amphibians and Reptiles of the United States. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. 245pp.);

Taxon Links:

  
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
  
Amphibian Species of the World
  
NatureServe
  
iNaturalist
  
GenBank
  
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database

Pertinent LIterature:
1801 Sonnini de Manoncourt, Charles S. and Pierre A. Latreille. An. X. Histoire Naturelle des Reptiles, avec Figures dissines d'apres Nature. [Natural History of Reptiles, with Figures drawn from Nature]. Tome IV. Chez Deterville, rue du Battoir, Paris, France. 410pp.

THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY — Accessed: Thursday 30 January 2025 01:54 CT