# Wild frog I saw today



## ESPMike (Mar 23, 2005)

I came across a frog on the side of a building today. It was small, about 3 inches max body length. The unique part about it was that it had pads on the feet, much like a gecko, and it was walking up the side of a wall. I live in the North East (NJ) and Ive never seen a frog like that in this area, only toads and basic bullfrogs. I dont have a picture since I didnt have a camera, but does anyone know about any indigenous species in the northeast that fit this description. I found it to be a pretty interesting find for this area.


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## ESPMike (Mar 23, 2005)

Just thought I should also mention to help with ID, it was a very light green in color, almost opaque actually. It also had some very light but not prominant spotting.


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## ESPMike (Mar 23, 2005)

Sorry double post.


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

It sounds like you found a tree frog, of which there are a few species found in New Jersey...

GRAY TREEFROG (_Hyla versicolor_)

COPE'S GRAY TREEFROG (_Hyla chrysoscelis_)

PINE BARRENS TREE FROG (_Hyla andersonii_)

Positive identification of chrysoscelis vs. versicolor is pretty much impossible for anyone other than serious frog taxonomists (and even they can not agree)....


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Do the two greys interbreed? If so, because they have an overlapping range, I'd recommend that they be condensed to one species and maybe relegated to subspecific status...but no one would take my recommendations all that seriously since I just have an M.S. in Mathematics and not a Ph.D. in anything relevant...


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

I almost think that a mathematicians judgement would be more beneficial than a biologists!








Look at Laurence Monroe Klauber and his work with Rattlesnakes (still seriously the bible by which all others are measured)..he was a mathematician...

These frogs have posed a taxonomic debate since the 1930's...
Yes, they have a HUGE overlap in ranges..but female decision as areas for egg deposition vary between the two..calls are different between the males..etc...but there are those who argue for unification, and those against...and yes there are examples of intergrades...
I simply refer to them both as the Gray Tree frog. Keep it simple for me (el stupido)....


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## ESPMike (Mar 23, 2005)

Wow shows what I know. While I was holding it I thought it was some kind of tree frog due to the pads and small size. It was obvious it wasnt primarily aquatic in nature. Neverless I didnt know their were tree frogs indiginous to NJ. Does anyone have any pics of any of those species? I might need to make a trip to the Pine Barrons to do some hiking and maybe even collect a couple to observe for a bit.


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/frogs_state.cfm?showstate=nj

That should get you started..


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## ESPMike (Mar 23, 2005)

Thats great thanks alot CrocKeeper. Pretty cool to see such interesting animals native to your home area. Thanks for all the info. Big help as usual.

Since my knowledge of frog biology is obviously less then amatuer, I can not tell whether the frog I found was H. versicolor or H. chrysoscelis, but I am sure it was one of those species. Really interesting to see though. I will be kayacking down in the Pine Barrons this weekend, so I might be paying some special attention looking for some specimins.


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