Skip Navigation

Go
Species Search:
Homethreatened and/or endangered

Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Rana muscosa

   

enlarge +

Mountain Yellow-legged Frog
© Karl H. Switak

All Images

 
1 article:

Get Our Newsletters

 

Advanced Search

Family: Ranidae, True Frogs view all from this family

Description 2-3 1/4" (5.1-8 cm). Brown with black or dark-brown spots or lichenlike markings. Dorsolateral ridges present, but may be indistinct. No dark mask. Eardrum smooth. Belly yellow to pale orange. Toes fully webbed, and toe tips dark. Male has swollen thumbs.

Voice No vocal sacs; mating call unknown.

Breeding Season dependent on altitude and weather conditions: March to May in lower regions; June to August at higher elevations. Egg masses are attached to vegetation.

Habitat Sunny stream banks and undisturbed ponds and lakes, usually with sloping gravel banks.

Range The Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and extreme w. Nevada. Separate population in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, San Jacinto and Palomar mountains of s. California.

Discussion This is the only frog in the high Sierra, from 6,000-12,000' (1,800-3,600 m). In the south it occurs from 1,200-7,500' (365-2,300 m). It has a pungent, musky odor. Primarily diurnal.

Follow us on Twitter

 

 

 

©2007 eNature.com