Atlantic Coast Leopard
Frog
Rana sphenocephala (southern leopard frog)
Scientific Name
Lithobates kauffeldi
Feinberg, Newman,
Watkins-Colwell, Schlesinger,
Zarate, Curry, S
Family Name
Ranidae
True Frogs
Did you know?
The Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog is only one of two
newly described frog species from the United
States in the last 30 years.
Photo credits: Matthew D. Schlesinger
Summary
Protection Not listed in New York State, not listed federally.
This level of state protection means: The species is not listed or protected by New York
State.
Rarity GNR, S1S2
A global rarity rank of GNR means: This species is not yet ranked. More information is
needed on its distribution, habitat requirements, biology, and/or rarity before a rank can be
assigned.
A state rarity rank of S1S2 means: Critically Imperiled or Imperiled in New York - Especially
or very vulnerable to disappearing from New York due to rarity or other factors; typically 20
or fewer populations or locations in New York, very few individuals, very restricted range,
few remaining acres (or miles of stream), and/or steep declines. More information is
needed to assign a single conservation status.
Conservation Status in New York
The Atlantic Coast leopard frog appears to have declined precipitously in New York,
including vanishing from Long Island. A handful of populations remain in the lower Hudson
Valley and on Staten Island.
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
Short-term Trends
Short-term trends are unknown. Despite considerable survey effort, leopard frogs have not
been confirmed on Long Island since the mid-1990s, so major declines in that region are
likely.
Long-term Trends
Over the long term, this species has been in precipitous decline, having disappeared from
much of New York City and the Hudson Valley and all of Long Island.
Conservation and Management
Threats
Loss and fragmentation of wetlands, chytrid fungus (a fungus that has caused frog
mortality nationwide), the expansion of bullfrogs, and invasion of wetlands by the common
reed Phragmites?are potential threats. No studies have been published that identify threats
to populations of this species.
Conservation Strategies and Management Practices
Preservation of large wetlands and reduced use of pesticides are likely to help this frog. It
is difficult to give specific management guidance because the species is newly discovered
and only the basics of its distribution and ecology are known.
Research Needs
Research needs include investigation of spatiotemporal habitat partitioning and potential
hybridization in areas of overlap with southern leopard frogs and to a lesser degree,
northern leopard frogs. In addition, a description of the tadpole and egg mass of this
species is needed. Research into causes of decline is needed as well.
Habitat
In New York, leopard frogs occur primarily in open situations, including grasslands, wet meadows,
grassy edges, shallow wetlands, and clear, slow-moving ditches. They may be found inland during
the summer but in spring and fall they remain near water.
Identification Comments
Leopard frogs are green or brown, usually with irregularly spaced rounded dark spots on
the back and a few dark spots on the sides of the body. A continuous usually yellowish
ridge extends along each side of the back. The head is pointed, and sometimes there is a
light spot in the center of the eardrum. The hind toes are extensively webbed. Maximum
size is around 5.1 inches (13 cm) snout-vent length. Breeding males have vocal sacs at the
angles of the jaw; the sacs are spherical when inflated. The forelimbs of mature males are
more massive than those of females, and the base of the thumb is larger in males than in
females. The breeding call is a repeated single chuck combined with an occasional
drawn-out snore. Larvae have faint to dark mottling on the body and tail, and the eyes are
positioned on top of head, not at the margin of the head, when viewed from above.
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
2
Maximum size of larvae is about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in total length. Egg masses are baseball
sized when the jelly is fully expanded and contain roughly 1,000-1,500 eggs.
Identifying Characteristics
A brown to green frog with rounded spots, distinct dorsolateral lines, and an occasional
white spot on the tympanum. The reticulum (upper thighs) is typically dark with light spots.
The call is a single-pulsed "chuck" with an occasional rolling "snore."
Characteristics Most Useful for Identification
The call is the only diagnostic feature of this species that has been identified to date.
Best Life Stage for Identifying This Species
As the tadpole and egg mass have yet to be described, the adult stage is the only stage in
which this frog can be distinguished from species. The call of the adult is diagnostic, but no
100% reliable visual field characters have been identified.
Behavior
Leopard frogs are primarily nocturnal. Males typically call between midnight and daybreak.
They are very skittish and can make quick leaps into vegetation or water when they feel
threatened. Egg masses of 3,000 to 5,000 eggs are often laid communally. Tadpoles hatch
in 7-12 days and transform into adults in 2-3 months. Late-hatching eggs may overwinter
as tadpoles. The frogs migrate between breeding pools and upland foraging areas. They
hibernate in mucky bottoms of wetlands. (Gibbs et al. 2007)
Diet
Tapoles feed on algae, plant material, and organic debris while adult frogs feed on small
invertebrates such as beetles, caterpillars, and spiders (Gibbs et al. 2007, Natureserve
2007).
Present
Active
Reproducing
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
The time of year you would expect to find Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog in New York.
Similar Species
Wood Frog(Rana sylvatica): These two are unmistakable visually, but the wood frog's call
sounds much like the Atlantic Coast leopard's. However, the "chuck" sounds of the wood
frog are multi-parted (three sounds quickly in succession) and there are no "snores."
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
3
Southern Leopard Frog(Rana sphenocephala): Southern leopards have a more pointed
snout and a more defined white spot on the tympanum, and usually have a light reticulum
with dark spotting. These two species may not yet be reliably distinguishable in the field,
except by call. Southern leopards have a rolling series of "chucks," as opposed to
individual "chucks" by the Atlantic Coast leopard.
Northern Leopard Frog(Rana pipiens): Northern leopard frogs never have a white spot
on the tympanum, but rarely have a darker splotch. Their reticulums (upper thighs) are
rarely dark with light spots.
Pickerel Frog(Rana palustris): The pickerel frog has a yellow/tan wash on the underside
of the legs and squarish as opposed to rounded spots. It may be cream or tan colored,
which leopard frogs rarely are. Juvenile pickerels may be hardest to distinguish from
leopards as their spots may look round and the leg color is less prominent.
Conservation Comments
Newman et al. (2012) presented evidence that Lithobates kauffeldi is genetically distinct
from both Lithobates sphenocephalus and Lithobates pipiens. In 2014 Feinberg et al.
named it as Rana (= Lithobates) kauffeldi.
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Amphibians (Amphibia)
Order
Frogs and Toads (Anura)
Family
Ranidae (True Frogs)
Additional Resources
References
Feinberg, J. A., C. E. Newman, G. J. Watkins-Colwell, M. D. Schlesinger, B. Zarate, B. R. Curry, H.
B. Shaffer, and J. Burger. 2014. Cryptic diversity in Metropolis: Confirmation of a new leopard
frog species (Anura: Ranidae) from New York City and surrou
Keys, Jr.,J.; Carpenter, C.; Hooks, S.; Koenig, F.; McNab, W.H.; Russell, W.;Smith, M.L. 1995.
Ecological units of the eastern United States - first approximation (cd-rom), Atlanta, GA: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. GIS coverage in ARCINFO format, selected imagery,
and map unit tables.
NatureServe. 2005. NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, Virginia. USA
Newman, C. E., J. A. Feinberg, L. J. Rissler, J. Burger, and H. B. Shaffer. 2012. A new species of
leopard frog (Anura: Ranidae) from the urban northeastern US. Molecular Phylogenetics and
Evolution 63:445?455.
New York Natural Heritage Program
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
4
625 Broadway, 5th Floor,
Albany, NY 12233-4757
Phone: (518) 402-8935
[email protected]
This project is made possible with funding from:
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
5
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River
Estuary Program
- Division of Lands & Forests, Department of Environmental Conservation
- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Information for this guide was last updated on Apr 01, 2016
This guide was authored by Matthew D. Schlesinger
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
6