Southern Cricket Frog
Acris gryllus
(click images to enlarge)

Appearance:  Southern Cricket Frogs are small frogs that can reach a maximum length of 3 cm. (1.25 in.).  Their coloration and pattern are highly variable, although a few features are generally conserved across most variations. Ground color may be almost black, brown, or very bright green. Generally, a lengthwise vertebral mark (of a brighter and contrasting color) is present. This mark begins at the top of the snout, splits to outline an interorbital triangle (also present in the tadpole) and converges to a single longitudinal line, which terminates at the urostyle.  Southern Cricket Frogs have fully webbed hind feet, and proportionately long legs. Males have dark throats and a single subgular vocal sac.

Habits and Habitat:  Southern Cricket Frogs can be found along the grassy edges of almost any freshwater environment within their range.  Potholes, ponds, lakes, bogs, marshes, and open sphagnaceous swamp edges are all appropriate habitats. These little frogs are extremely fleet of foot and difficult to catch, but can usually be identified by their size, behavior, and calls.

Vocalization:  The "click-click-click" call of the Southern Cricket Frog is similar to the sound made by tapping marbles together. Cricket frogs can call any month of the year, during most types of weather and at any time of day.  Chorus: 

Reproduction/Egg Description:  Breeding usually begins in April and may continue into the fall.  Eggs are laid singly or in small clumps of  7-10 eggs each, which are attached to submerged vegetation.  Depending on environmental factors, eggs hatch in 4 or more days. Tadpoles generally transform in 41-90 days.

Distribution and Abundance: Crickets frogs are extremely common throughout their range where appropriate habitats exist, and may occur in very high densities.  The Southern Cricket Frog occurs from eastern Louisiana, through the Gulf Coastal states and up the Atlantic Coast to extreme southeastern Virginia.

SE ARMI Index Sites: Everglades National Park (Acris gryllus dorsalis, Florida Cricket Frog), Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Acris gryllus dorsalis, Florida Cricket Frog)