Wood Frog Facts
- This unassuming seeming creature presently holds the simple common name of the Wood Frog. Its scientific designation, however, remains the more complicated term of Lithobates sylvaticus. By either name, though, it’s a much more complicated animal than it seems.
- This truly amazing work of Nature and evolution received that tongue-twisting technical title due to the efforts of John Eatton Le Conte Jr. The highly respected American naturalist accomplished the first recognition of it as a separate and distinct species in the year 1825.
- In point of fact, this fascinating amphibian currently serves as the focus of great and ongoing attention among many researchers. This high degree of attention occurs due to the nature of a truly astonishing evolutionary adaptation displayed by this amazing natural wonder.
- To the complete astonishment of those researchers who first realized it, this creature somehow evolved a method of surviving being partially frozen in winter. This marvel of Nature has, entirely naturally, developed special chemical reactions in its body that allow this.
- This process prevents complete freezing of the water in the cells and bloodstream of the incredible Wood Frog from occurring. As long as no more than 65% of the water in the animal’s body freezes, the animal survives. This remains a unique adaptation among its kind.
- Most fortunately, its population base appears to be stable and sufficient, at least for the moment. As a result, the IUCN presently lists it as Least Concern on its Red List. The species does, however, remain at risk due to the ongoing and escalating effects of climate change.
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Wood Frog Physical Description
The captivating Wood Frog never fails to fascinate those individuals who learn of its incredible attributes. These, though impressive, have nothing to do with its sheer size or visual appeal. Evolution provided it with remarkable traits regardless of any of these so-called normal qualities.
Though legitimately remarkable in some ways, the work of evolution nevertheless represents an average-sized variety of its kind. This example of the resourcefulness of Nature also, like many related species, displays a slight degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism.
In its particular case, though, this natural trait manifests itself in terms of physical size, not appearance. As a result of this tendency, females of the species attain a slightly greater length than their male counterparts. Overall, however, this length averages between 2.0 – 2.8 in (0.8 – 1.1 cm).
The natural coloring of the Wood Frog further serves to often cause the casual observer to mistakenly believe it to be a simple form of amphibian. That’s because this aspect of its physical nature presents a pattern roughly shared by a great many other frogs found throughout the world.
The adult individual typically displays either dark brown or varying shades of tan on the upper body. The underside, meanwhile, generally shows a pale green or yellow. This awesome animal additionally, however, holds the ability to alter its coloring at will as well, within this range of colors.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Amphibia
- Order: Anura
- Family: Ranidae
- Genus: Lithobates
- Species: L. sylvaticus
Wood Frog Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology
Fortunately, the astonishing Wood Frog evolved as indigenous to a comparatively broad expanse of the surface of the earth. Exactly where that zone of habitation lies, and how far it stretches, though, might surprise some of you. It developed as native to an extensive portion of North America.
The majority of its population appears within the borders of the United States. There, it appears across a range that extends from the southern Appalachian Mountains, near the east coast, to Alaska. The marvel also lives in smaller sections of Canada, primarily appearing in British Columbia.
The unique wonder of the animal kingdom evolved as almost exclusively forest-dwelling in its habitat preferences. It also mainly breeds in woodland vernal pools and freshwater wetlands. When not breeding, though, it may be in or near moist ravines, upland habitats, or freshwater swamps.
Most commonly, adult individuals of the intrepid Wood Frog spend the vast majority of the summer and spring seasons in these and various other similar habitats. But, during the fall the animals migrate to neighboring uplands. That’s where the majority of the species lives out the winter season.
It also primarily inhabits the upper layer of soil, just beneath layers of leaves, wherever it lives. The intriguing creature also evolved as principally diurnal in nature. Consequently, it rarely emerges at night unless disturbed. At that time, it feeds opportunistically on various small invertebrates.
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