P. ocularis is the smallest frog in North America, only reaching a maximum head-body length of 19 mm (0.75 in). It is normally pale brown, but can have a green or pink tinge. This species is further characterized by a variable dark stripe which runs through each of the frog's eyes and down the sides of its body. The Latin term ocularis translates to "of the eye" in reference to this bold ocular stripe.[3]
Habitat and feedingedit
This species occurs in a wide variety of ephemeral and semi-permanent wetlands in the southeastern Coastal Plain and favors grassy areas in and around cypress ponds and similar sites. This species can be used as an indicator of healthy wetlands. In urbanized wetlands P. ocularis is noticeably absent.[4] It is commonly found on lower tree trunks and foliage up to a height of 1 m or more; males prefer these sites as calling perches. However, they spend a considerable amount of their foraging time on the ground.[5] This species possesses the ability to rotate its head and neck more than other frog species due to unusual flexibility in its vertebral column. This is thought to aid in searching for prey or looking for a more suitable perch before leaping.[6] The majority of food items consist of arthropods that are associated with leaf litter and/or soil—springtails, ants, thrips, palpigrades, etc.[7] There has been some recorded research showing that adults have fed on large roaches, walking sticks, and mites.[8]
Reproductionedit
To gain a female's attention, males will remain perched on top of grass stems or tree trunks and call. This calling is most often compared to high insect-like chirps.[9]P. ocularis The little Grass Frog breeds in shallow, fish free wetlands, including cypress domes, marshes, bogs, wet prairies, wet flatwoods, and floodplain forests [10] generally breeds from January to September in most of their range, but can breed year-round in Florida. Females can generally reproduce more than once per annual cycle. The eggs will usually be laid on a pond bottom or vegetation in shallow water.[11] Females lay up to 200 eggs with 1-5 eggs per cluster. Eggs take 1–2 days to hatch and larvae take 7–70 days to metamorphose.[12]
Behavioredit
The little grass frog's call has 2 call components (pure tone followed by a train of pulses) which is unique in Family Hylidae.[13]P. ocularis is often active both day and night and can be active year-round in some parts of their range.[14]
Predators and predator avoidanceedit
The little grass frog has a few defensive mechanisms to avoid predation. Despite their small size, they can jump about 20 times their body length which can help them escape predators.[15] Their coloration also provides them with a great advantage. They have a cryptic coloration similar to the vegetation in the areas in which they live. The dark stripes through their eye and along their sides are also thought to help break-up their outline to more visual predators.[16] Some common predators are fish, larger frogs, and snakes. [17] Nymphs of Odonata are also known to prey on little grass frog larvae.[11]
Referencesedit
^IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2015). "Pseudacris ocularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T55895A64855914. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T55895A64855914.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Marshall, Jeremey, M.; Camp, Carlos, D. (1995). "Aspects of the Feeding Ecology of the Little Grass Frog, Pseudacris ocularis (Anura: Hylidae)". Brimleyana. 22: 1–7.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Wright, Albert Hazen, and Wright, Anna Allen. Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Company, 1949. 640 p. $6.50". Science Education. 33 (4): 309. October 1949. doi:10.1002/sce.3730330466. ISSN 0036-8326.
^Guzy, Jacquelyn C.; McCoy, Earl D.; Deyle, Anna C.; Gonzalez, Shannon M.; Halstead, Neal; Mushinsky, Henry R. (2012-07-17). "Urbanization interferes with the use of amphibians as indicators of ecological integrity of wetlands". Journal of Applied Ecology. 49 (4): 941–952. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02172.x. ISSN 0021-8901. PMC7194282.
^"Aspects-of-the-feeding Ecology of the little grass frog" (PDF).
^Harper, F. (1939). Distribution, taxonomy, nomenclature, and habits of the little tree-frog (Hyla ocularis). The American Midland Naturalist, 22(1), 134-149.
^Marshall, Jeremy, L.; Camp, Carlos (1995). "Aspects of the Feeding Ecology of the Little Grass Frog, Pseudacris ocularis (Anura: Hylidae)". Brimleyana. 22: 1–7 – via Research Gate.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Marshall, L. Jeremy, Camp, D. Carlos. (1995). Aspects of the Feeding Ecology of the Little Grass Frog, Pseudacris ocularis (Anura: Hylidae), Brimleyana 22, 1-7.
^Harper, F. (1939). Distribution, taxonomy, nomenclature, and habits of the little tree-frog (Hyla ocularis). The American Midland Naturalist, 22(1), 134-149.
^ abKehr, Arturo I. (1997). "Stage frequency and habitat selection of a cohort of Pseudacris ocularis tadpoles (Hylidae: Anura) in a Florida temporary pond". Herpetological Journal. 7 (3): 103–109.
^Ethier, J. P., Fayard, A., Soroye, P., Choi, D., Mazerolle, M. J., & Trudeau, V. L. (2021). Life history traits and reproductive ecology of North American chorus frogs of the genus Pseudacris (Hylidae). Frontiers in Zoology, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-021-00425-w
^Cocroft, REGINALD B.; Ryan, MICHAEL J. (1995-02-01). "Patterns of advertisement call evolution in toads and chorus frogs". Animal Behaviour. 49 (2): 283–303. doi:10.1006/anbe.1995.0043. ISSN 0003-3472. S2CID 22713394.
^Babbitt, K. J., & Tanner, G. W. (2000). Use of temporary wetlands by anurans in a hydrologically modified landscape. Wetlands, 20(2), 313-322.
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2015). "Pseudacris ocularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T55895A64855914. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T55895A64855914.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern
Behler JL, King FW. 1979. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Knopf. 743 pp. ISBN0-394-50824-6. (Limnaoedus ocularis, p. 410 + Plate 172).
Boulenger GA. 1882. Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia s. Ecaudata in the Collection of the British Museum. Second Edition. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xvi + 503 pp. + Plates I-XXX. (Chorophilus ocularis, pp. 333–334).
Collins, Henry Hill Jr. 1959. Complete Field Guide to American Wildlife: East, Central and North. New York, Evanston, and London: Harper & Row. xix + 683 pp. + Plates 1-48. (Hyla ocularis, p. 443 + Figure 114 and map on p. 444).
Conant R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1-48. ISBN0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Limnaoedus ocularis, pp. 326–327 + Plate 47 + Map 283).
Holbrook JE. 1842. North American Herpetology; or, A Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting The United States. Vol. IV. Philadelphia: J. Dobson. 138 pp. + Plates I-XXXV. (Hylodes ocularis, pp. 137–138 + Plate XXXV).
Wright AH, Wright AA. 1949. Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada. Third Edition. Ithaca, New York: Comstock. xxii + 640 pp. (Pseudacris ocularis, pp. 264–267, Plate LVI, map 18).
April 15, 2024
little, grass, frog, little, grass, frog, pseudacris, ocularis, species, chorus, frog, endemic, southeastern, united, states, currently, smallest, north, american, anuran, occurs, wide, variety, ephemeral, semi, permanent, wetlands, conservation, statusleast, . The little grass frog Pseudacris ocularis is a species of chorus frog endemic to the Southeastern United States It is currently the smallest North American anuran and occurs in a wide variety of ephemeral and semi permanent wetlands 2 Little grass frogConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AmphibiaOrder AnuraFamily HylidaeGenus PseudacrisSpecies P ocularisBinomial namePseudacris ocularisBosc amp Daudin 1801SynonymsHyla ocularis Bosc amp Daudin in Sonnini amp Latreille 1801 Hyla oculata Daudin 1802 Calamita ocularis Merrem 1820 Auletris ocularis Wagler 1830 Hylodes ocularis Holbrook 1838 Chorophilus angulatus Cope 1875 Cystignathus ocularis Cope 1875 Chorophilus ocularis Cope 1875 Pseudacris ocularis Stejneger amp Barbour 1917 Hyla ocularis Noble 1923 Acris ocularis Mittleman 1946 Limnaoedus ocularis Mittleman amp List 1953 Pseudacris ocularis Hedges 1986 Contents 1 Description 2 Habitat and feeding 3 Reproduction 4 Behavior 5 Predators and predator avoidance 6 References 7 Further readingDescription editP ocularis is the smallest frog in North America only reaching a maximum head body length of 19 mm 0 75 in It is normally pale brown but can have a green or pink tinge This species is further characterized by a variable dark stripe which runs through each of the frog s eyes and down the sides of its body The Latin term ocularis translates to of the eye in reference to this bold ocular stripe 3 Habitat and feeding editThis species occurs in a wide variety of ephemeral and semi permanent wetlands in the southeastern Coastal Plain and favors grassy areas in and around cypress ponds and similar sites This species can be used as an indicator of healthy wetlands In urbanized wetlands P ocularis is noticeably absent 4 It is commonly found on lower tree trunks and foliage up to a height of 1 m or more males prefer these sites as calling perches However they spend a considerable amount of their foraging time on the ground 5 This species possesses the ability to rotate its head and neck more than other frog species due to unusual flexibility in its vertebral column This is thought to aid in searching for prey or looking for a more suitable perch before leaping 6 The majority of food items consist of arthropods that are associated with leaf litter and or soil springtails ants thrips palpigrades etc 7 There has been some recorded research showing that adults have fed on large roaches walking sticks and mites 8 Reproduction editTo gain a female s attention males will remain perched on top of grass stems or tree trunks and call This calling is most often compared to high insect like chirps 9 P ocularis The little Grass Frog breeds in shallow fish free wetlands including cypress domes marshes bogs wet prairies wet flatwoods and floodplain forests 10 generally breeds from January to September in most of their range but can breed year round in Florida Females can generally reproduce more than once per annual cycle The eggs will usually be laid on a pond bottom or vegetation in shallow water 11 Females lay up to 200 eggs with 1 5 eggs per cluster Eggs take 1 2 days to hatch and larvae take 7 70 days to metamorphose 12 Behavior editThe little grass frog s call has 2 call components pure tone followed by a train of pulses which is unique in Family Hylidae 13 P ocularis is often active both day and night and can be active year round in some parts of their range 14 Predators and predator avoidance editThe little grass frog has a few defensive mechanisms to avoid predation Despite their small size they can jump about 20 times their body length which can help them escape predators 15 Their coloration also provides them with a great advantage They have a cryptic coloration similar to the vegetation in the areas in which they live The dark stripes through their eye and along their sides are also thought to help break up their outline to more visual predators 16 Some common predators are fish larger frogs and snakes 17 Nymphs of Odonata are also known to prey on little grass frog larvae 11 References edit IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2015 Pseudacris ocularis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015 e T55895A64855914 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2015 2 RLTS T55895A64855914 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Marshall Jeremey M Camp Carlos D 1995 Aspects of the Feeding Ecology of the Little Grass Frog Pseudacris ocularis Anura Hylidae Brimleyana 22 1 7 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Wright Albert Hazen and Wright Anna Allen Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada Ithaca New York Comstock Publishing Company 1949 640 p 6 50 Science Education 33 4 309 October 1949 doi 10 1002 sce 3730330466 ISSN 0036 8326 Guzy Jacquelyn C McCoy Earl D Deyle Anna C Gonzalez Shannon M Halstead Neal Mushinsky Henry R 2012 07 17 Urbanization interferes with the use of amphibians as indicators of ecological integrity of wetlands Journal of Applied Ecology 49 4 941 952 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2664 2012 02172 x ISSN 0021 8901 PMC 7194282 Aspects of the feeding Ecology of the little grass frog PDF Harper F 1939 Distribution taxonomy nomenclature and habits of the little tree frog Hyla ocularis The American Midland Naturalist 22 1 134 149 Marshall Jeremy L Camp Carlos 1995 Aspects of the Feeding Ecology of the Little Grass Frog Pseudacris ocularis Anura Hylidae Brimleyana 22 1 7 via Research Gate a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Marshall L Jeremy Camp D Carlos 1995 Aspects of the Feeding Ecology of the Little Grass Frog Pseudacris ocularis Anura Hylidae Brimleyana 22 1 7 Harper F 1939 Distribution taxonomy nomenclature and habits of the little tree frog Hyla ocularis The American Midland Naturalist 22 1 134 149 Department of Wildlife Ecology amp Conservation n d Florida s Frogs Little Grass Frog Retrieved April 27 2022 from https ufwildlife ifas ufl edu frogs littlegrassfrog shtml a b Kehr Arturo I 1997 Stage frequency and habitat selection of a cohort of Pseudacris ocularis tadpoles Hylidae Anura in a Florida temporary pond Herpetological Journal 7 3 103 109 Ethier J P Fayard A Soroye P Choi D Mazerolle M J amp Trudeau V L 2021 Life history traits and reproductive ecology of North American chorus frogs of the genus Pseudacris Hylidae Frontiers in Zoology 18 1 https doi org 10 1186 s12983 021 00425 w Cocroft REGINALD B Ryan MICHAEL J 1995 02 01 Patterns of advertisement call evolution in toads and chorus frogs Animal Behaviour 49 2 283 303 doi 10 1006 anbe 1995 0043 ISSN 0003 3472 S2CID 22713394 Virginia Herpetological Society www virginiaherpetologicalsociety com Retrieved 2022 04 28 Little Grass Frog herpsofnc org Retrieved 2022 04 28 Virginia Herpetological Society www virginiaherpetologicalsociety com Retrieved 2022 04 29 Babbitt K J amp Tanner G W 2000 Use of temporary wetlands by anurans in a hydrologically modified landscape Wetlands 20 2 313 322 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2015 Pseudacris ocularis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015 e T55895A64855914 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2015 2 RLTS T55895A64855914 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern Species Profile Little Grass Frog Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Retrieved 2011 08 08 Further reading editBehler JL King FW 1979 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians New York Knopf 743 pp ISBN 0 394 50824 6 Limnaoedus ocularis p 410 Plate 172 Boulenger GA 1882 Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia s Ecaudata in the Collection of the British Museum Second Edition London Trustees of the British Museum Taylor and Francis printers xvi 503 pp Plates I XXX Chorophilus ocularis pp 333 334 Collins Henry Hill Jr 1959 Complete Field Guide to American Wildlife East Central and North New York Evanston and London Harper amp Row xix 683 pp Plates 1 48 Hyla ocularis p 443 Figure 114 and map on p 444 Conant R 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Second Edition Boston Houghton Mifflin xviii 429 pp Plates 1 48 ISBN 0 395 19979 4 hardcover ISBN 0 395 19977 8 paperback Limnaoedus ocularis pp 326 327 Plate 47 Map 283 Holbrook JE 1842 North American Herpetology or A Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting The United States Vol IV Philadelphia J Dobson 138 pp Plates I XXXV Hylodes ocularis pp 137 138 Plate XXXV Wright AH Wright AA 1949 Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada Third Edition Ithaca New York Comstock xxii 640 pp Pseudacris ocularis pp 264 267 Plate LVI map 18 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little grass frog amp oldid 1209408587, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
