Saturday, September 22, 2012

Florida Leopard Frog

Florida Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus sphenocephalus) is a subspecies of the Southern Leopard Frog (S. p. utricularius).
Almost impossible to distinguish the two, I believe this one is a Florida subspecies based on geography, having been photographed in Port Charlotte, Florida
 


Both frogs are easily identified by the white "target spot" in the center of the tympanic membrane.  Frequently used for classroom dissection, Southern Leopard Frogs are raised for human consumption, as "frog legs."
 
Interested in Herpetology?  One of the best texts around is Herpetology, by E. Harvey Pough et al..  Available used from Amazon.com at a very reasonable price.