Southern Cricket Frog

About the Southern Cricket Frog

The southern cricket frog or southeastern cricket frog (Acris gryllus) is a small hylid frog native to the Southeastern United States. It is very similar in appearance and habits to the northern cricket frog, Acris crepitans, and was considered formerly conspecific (Dickerson 1906). The scientific name Acris is from the Greek word for locust, and the species name gryllus is Latin for cricket (Georgia Wildlife).

At 0.75–1.5 inches (16–32 mm) in length, Acris gryllus is even smaller than A. crepitans. Other characters that differentiate the southern species are: More pointed snout--A. crepitans more blunt. Hind leg is more than half length of the body when folded—that of A. crepitans is less than one half body length. When rear leg is extended forward, the heel of A. gryllus usually reaches beyond the snout—does not reach snout in A. crepitans.

A. gryllus can jump longer distances than A. crepitans. A. gryllus has a sharply defined black stripe on the back of the thigh--A. crepitans has a ragged stripe. Webbing on rear feet of A. gryllus is sparse, more extensive in A. crepitans.

There is evidence that the color of the vertebral stripe on southern cricket frogs can... Wikipedia →