New, third local species of Leopard Frog

[johnnyb]

Facebook friend of my wife Ro tipped her to following article about a frog species in our area newly recognized as a new species.
<http://www.sciencecodex.com/new_frog_discovered_inhabiting_i95_corridor_from_connecticut_to_north_carolina-144512>

 

[manumuskin]

You cannot tell it apart from the Southern Leopard except supposedly by sound and possibly DNA.I myself believe it is not a different species but just a population of frogs with a different accent.But then again I"m a zoological lumper and not a splitter.

 

[dragoncjo]

The leopard frogs in the core barrens are some of the nicest looking you'll see. I understand they says its dna and acoustics but I'm curious if there are physical differences as well. When i'm in the barrens I tend to see two distinct looking leopard frogs. Mostly notable is the bluntness or sharpness of its nose. Interesting stuff...

 

[NJChileHead]

I second what Dragoncjo is saying. I have seen a lot of Leopard frogs in the barrens with what I could only describe as a metallic luster, quite beautiful.

 

[dragoncjo]

This is from a biologist I know listed on this paper. As I visually noticed over the years the head width is more narrow for the ones in the barrens. As usual the flora and fauna in the barrens continues to be unique and continues to offers us new findings.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0108213

I think this same situation occurs in the pine barrens for milk snake as well. Probably red milks in the core barrens and edge, with eastern milks outside of it.

 

[NJChileHead]

Dragon, aren't the 'Coastal Plains' milk snakes intergrades between L.t.triangulum and L.t.elapsoides?

 

[manumuskin]

Dragon, aren't the 'Coastal Plains' milk snakes intergrades between L.t.triangulum and L.t.elapsoides?

I have heard that some zoologists claim they are and then some say they are a complete species of their own and others say they are just a psychedelic milksnake.I think there is still some disagreement.What say you Dragon?

 

[Gibby]

I find it interesting that others are beginning to notice the minute details that the barrens shape and mold into many species. The uniqueness of the environment is the factor.

 

[dragoncjo]

Having caught a considerable amount of "coastals" they look like red milk snakes to me. Many folks believe that they are an isolated population of red milk snakes.

 

[NJChileHead]

When you say red milks, is that referring to L. t. syspila or L. t. elapsoides?

 

[dragoncjo]

Syspila.

 

[NJChileHead]

Syspila.

That's interesting, I've never heard that, but I definitely see the resemblance!