Treefrogs (family Hylidae) have enlarged toe pads which can secrete mucus to enable climbing on most dry surfaces.
 

 
The Northern Cricket Frog, Acris crepitans crepitans, is found in wetlands in the Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties. It is similar to the Florida Cricket Frog.
 
The Florida Cricket Frog, Acris gryllus dorsalis, is found in wetlands statewide. It usually has a brown back and speckled white underside though coloring and markings vary. It reaches a length of 1.3". Its call sounds like marbles being clicked together. It leaps away when approached but stops to rest. If it jumps into water, it often swims right back to shore.
 
The Southern Cricket Frog, Acris gryllus gryllus, is found in wetlands in the western panhandle. It is similar to the Florida Cricket Frog.
 

 
** PROTECTED **
The Pine Barrens Treefrog, Hyla andersonii, is found in bogs where pitcher plants grow in the panhandle. It may have been introduced here from the pine barrens of New Jersey. It is bright green with white-bordered brown stripes extending from its nose, over its eyes, and along its sides. It may grow to 1.5". Its call is a rapid and repetitive "quank-quank-quank".
 
The Bird-voiced Treefrog, Hyla avivoca, is found in river swamps in the panhandle. Its back is gray with darker gray patterns. Its inner thighs are greenish yellow and it has a white patch below each eye. It may reach a maximum length of 1.75". Its call is a high-pitched whistle.
 
The Cope's Gray Treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis, is found in temporary ponds in the peninsula and north Florida. Its back is two shades of gray with a darker gray blotch in the middle. It has a white patch under each eye and its inner thighs are bright yellow or orange. Its coloring provides it camouflage when it is resting on gray tree bark. It may reach 2.3" in length. Its call is a coarse, prolonged trill. Its skin secretions are an eye irritant.
 
The Green Treefrog, Hyla cinerea, is found near wetlands statewide. It is usually vivid green but can change to dull gray green. It has a wide white stripe with dark borders down each side. It is 2.25" long. Its call, heard on humid evenings from April through October, is a continuous "gronk-gronk-gronk".
 
The Southern Spring Peeper, Hyla crucifer bartramiana, is found in temporary ponds in north Florida. Reaching a length of 1.5", its back is gray green to rust with an "X" and its underside is light with dark spots. It whistles and trills. During the warmer months, it lives high in trees. It breeds during the winter, becoming active on rainy nights when the temperature is above 50°F.
 
The Northern Spring Peeper, Hyla crucifer crucifer, is found in temporary ponds in the western panhandle. Slightly smaller than the Southern Spring Peeper, it is tan to brown and has no spots on its underside.
 
The Pinewoods Treefrog, Hyla femoralis, is found near temporary ponds in wooded areas statewide. Usually a rich brown, it may also be gray to light green. It has silvery to yellow blotches on its inner thighs. It may reach a length of 1.75". It has a raspy call and a slower chattering one. It rests on vegetation near the ground but also can be found high, up to 30', in trees.
 
The Barking Treefrog, Hyla gratiosa, is found in temporary ponds statewide. It can change from light green to dark brown and may have rich spots bordered with light green or gray. It has light stripes bordered with brown along its sides. It is the largest native treefrog (2.7"). Its call sounds somewhat like a dog's bark at a distance.
 
The Squirrel Treefrog, Hyla squirella, is found near temporary ponds in wooded and suburban areas statewide. It is small (1.75"), glossy, green to brown and may have blotches. One of its calls sounds like the chattering of a squirrel.
 

 
The Little Grass Frog, Limnaoedus ocularis, is found in low grasses along shallow and temporary ponds statewide. It is light beige with wide copper stripes. It has a dark stripe through each eye which may extend down the side of the body. It is the smallest (0.67") land vertebrate in the United States. Its call is similar to a cricket's chirp.
 

 
The Cuban Treefrog, Osteopilus septentrioalis, an introduced species, is found in central and south Florida and often seen clinging to windows and sliding glass doors. It is the largest treefrog in Florida (5.5") and eats the smaller native frogs. It can change colors from light gray or pale green to dark brown. Its skin secretions can be irritating.
 

 
The Southern Chorus Frog, Pseudacris nigrita nigrita, is found in temporary ponds in the peninsula and north Florida. Similar to the Florida Chorus Frog, it has a white stripe on its upper lip.
 
The Florida Chorus Frog, Pseudacris nigrita verrucosa, is found in temporary ponds in the panhandle and in some areas in peninsula. It is gray with dark gray blotches down the back and legs. Its upper lip is spotted with white. It may reach a length of 1.25". It makes a "comb-clicking" call.
 
The Ornate Chorus Frog, Pseudacris ornata, is found in temporary ponds statewide. It is small (1.4") with a rounded body and snout. It has large brown spots on its sides and its back may be reddish brown, gray, or pale green. It has a squeaky call. It tends to stay burrowed.
 
The Upland Chorus Frog, Pseudacris triseriata feriarum, is found in ponds in deciduous forests in the panhandle. It is small (1.4"), gray to gray brown with three stripes on its back. Its call is a "cheep".
 

[ Amphibian Index | Protected Amphibians ]