| Description: The Carpenter Frog is
a mid-sized frog, ranging from 1 ? -2 ? in (4.1-6.7 cm). It is generally brown
or bronze in color with 4 light stripes down its back, and no dorsolateral
ridges. Carpenter Frogs have short hind legs, making them somewhat
toad-like in body shape and a venter that is white with black mottling. Range
and Habitat: Carpenter Frogs are found along the eastern coast of United States
from New Jersey to Georgia. In our region, they are restricted to the Coastal
Plain and are usually associated with acidic sphagnum bogs, blackwater swamps,
and in stands of grasslike vegetation. Habits: Carpenter Frogs are
highly aquatic and are usually found in, or close to water. Males call from the
edges of aquatic habitats in the late spring and summer. During courtship, female
Carpenter Frogs respond to male mating calls with a chirping noise. This in turn
elicits an aggressive male call similar to its territorial call used when in conflict
with another male. Call: The carpenter frog's call sounds like the
hammering of a carpenter, giving the forg its common name. Conservation
Status: Listed in Georgia as rare or uncommon. The specific habitat requirements
of this species make it susceptible to habitat loss and degredation. Pertinent
Reference:
Given, M.F. 1993. Male response to female vocalizations in
the carpenter frog, Rana virgatipes. Animal Behaviour 46(6):1139-1149.
Account Author: Christina Baker, University of Georgia - revised
by J.D. Willson | 
Hear
call
