AmphibiaWeb - Rana berlandieri


Rana berlandieri (Baird, 1859) Rio Grande Leopard Frog Subgenus: Pantherana	family: Ranidae genus: Rana
Taxonomic Notes: This species was placed in the genus Lithobates by Frost et al. (2006). However, Yuan et al. (2016, Systematic Biology, doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syw055) showed that this action created problems of paraphyly in other genera. Yuan et al. (2016) recognized subgenera within Rana for the major traditional species groups, with Lithobates used as the subgenus for the Rana palmipes group. AmphibiaWeb recommends the optional use of these subgenera to refer to these major species groups, with names written as Rana (Aquarana) catesbeiana, for example.

  hear call (30.1K RM file)

  hear call (6068.2K WAV file)

  hear Fonozoo call (#1)
  hear Fonozoo call (#2)
  hear Fonozoo call (#3)

[call details here]

Conservation Status (definitions)

IUCN Red List Status Account	Least Concern (LC)
NatureServe	Use NatureServe Explorer to see status.
CITES	No CITES Listing
National Status	None
Regional Status	None
	Access Conservation Needs Assessment Report .

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (2 records).

Description
This large leopard frog has a snout-vent length of 56 to 112 mm. The dorsal surface is grey to green or brown in color and is covered by many irregular dark spots. The ventral surface is cream colored, possibly pale yellow around the upper thighs. Mottling may be present on the chin of older individuals. The supralabial stripe is incomplete in adults. Dorsolateral folds are well developed but displaced medially in the region of the urostyle. Males possess external vocal sacs and conspicuous vestigal oviducts. Tadpoles are olive colored with a yellowish cast on the sides and dorsum. Iris is gold with tiny specks of black. Tail marked with pale and dark spots.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Belize, Mexico, Nicaragua, United States

U.S. state distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

View Bd and Bsal data (2 records).

Found in Eddy County, New Mexico, southwestern Texas, and southward throughout the eastern states of Mexico to northeastern Nicaragua. Introduced to southwestern Arizona in the last 25 years, it now occurs at several localities along the lower Colorado River and California.

Comments

See another account at californiaherps.com.

References

Platz, J. E. (1963). ''Rana berlandieri.'' Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, 508.1-508.4.

Originally submitted by: April Robinson (first posted 2001-02-12)

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2023 Rana berlandieri: Rio Grande Leopard Frog <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4990> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Jan 24, 2025.

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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 24 Jan 2025.

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