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Home/Species/ Canyon Treefrog

Dryophytes arenicolor

Cope, 1866

Canyon Treefrog

G5Secure Found in 62 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102412
Element CodeAAABC02020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyHylidae
GenusDryophytes
Synonyms
Hyla arenicolorCope, 1866
Other Common Names
canyon treefrog (EN)
Concept Reference
Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Duellman et al. (2016) restricted Hyla to Eurasia and North Africa and referred the North American and east Asian sister taxon of this group to Dryophytes.

Bryson et al. (2010) reported on molecular geographic variation and demonstrated introgression with D. wrightorum. Based only on the mitochondrial subset of their data, Li et al. (2015) found multiple divergent lineages within a monophyletic D. arenicolor. Barber (1999) examined geographic variation and suggested that at least two other species should be recognized within the Mexican component of its range (Nicholson 2025).
Conservation Status
Review Date2002-04-01
Change Date2001-10-29
Edition Date2002-04-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Secure in most of large range in southwestern North America.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs from western and southeastern Colorado and southern Utah, south through Arizona and western New Mexico in the United States to northern Oaxaca in Mexico. There are also isolated populations in northeastern New Mexico and the Big Bend area of western Texas. It is found from near sea level to about 3,000m (9800 ft) (Stebbins 1985).
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Threat Impact Comments
No major pervasive threats.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This frog requires temporary or permanent pools in rocky arid scrub and mountains in a wide range of elevations from 300 to 3,000m asl. It is found in rocky canyons and along intermittent or permanent streams. It frequents arroyos in semi-arid grassland, streams in pinon-juniper and pine-oak woodlands, and tropical scrub forest (Mexico) (Stebbins 1985). It is primarily terrestrial, and in breeds in pools along canyon-bottom streams.

Reproduction

Usually breeds from April-July (possibly August) (Stebbins 1985). In Colorado, metamorphosis has been observed in late July and early August (Hammerson 1982).
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/scree
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TexasS4Yes
Navajo NationS4Yes
ColoradoS2Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
New MexicoS4Yes
UtahS4Yes
Roadless Areas (62)
Arizona (38)
AreaForestAcres
Arnold MesaPrescott National Forest12,286
Ash CreekPrescott National Forest7,663
Barbershop CanyonCoconino National Forest1,311
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
Blind Indian CreekPrescott National Forest26,847
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
HackberryCoconino National Forest17,885
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Hell HoleApache-Sitgreaves National Forests15,512
HellsgateTonto National Forest6,171
Horse MesaTonto National Forest9,146
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Mitchell PeakApache-Sitgreaves National Forests35,398
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
Painted BluffsApache-Sitgreaves National Forests43,118
PicachoTonto National Forest4,969
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest6,518
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousPrescott National Forest3,129
PipestemApache-Sitgreaves National Forests34,598
SalomeTonto National Forest2,932
Santa TeresaCoronado National Forest8,929
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
SunsetApache-Sitgreaves National Forests28,948
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
New Mexico (21)
AreaForestAcres
Alamo CanyonSanta Fe National Forest8,639
Apache Kid ContiguousCibola National Forest67,542
Aspen MountainGila National Forest23,784
Brushy MountainGila National Forest7,199
Candian RiverCibola National Forest7,149
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Dry CreekGila National Forest26,719
Eagle PeakGila National Forest34,016
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Hell HoleGila National Forest19,553
Lower San FranciscoGila National Forest26,460
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
NolanGila National Forest13,051
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
Ryan HillCibola National Forest34,201
San JoseCibola National Forest16,950
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
Virgin CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,068
White CapCibola National Forest8,036
Utah (3)
AreaForestAcres
Cedar BenchDixie National Forest8,915
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
References (21)
  1. Barber, P. H. 1999. Phylogeography of the Canyon Treefrog, <i>Hyla arenicolor</i> (Cope) based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Molecular Ecology 8:547-562.
  2. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  3. Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.
  4. Bryson, R. W., Jr., A. Nieto-Montes de Oca, J. R. Jaeger, and B. R. Riddle. 2010. Elucidation of cryptic diversity in a widespread Nearctic treefrog reveals episodes of mitochondrial gene capture as frogs diversified across a dynamic landscape. Evolution 64:2315-2330.
  5. Bryson, R. W., Jr., B. T. Smith, A. Nieto-Montes de Oca, U. O. García-Vázquez, and B. R. Riddle. 2014. The role of mitochondrial introgression in illuminating the evolutionary history of Nearctic treefrogs. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 172:103-116.
  6. Conant, R. and J. T. Collins. 1991. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 450 pp.
  7. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  8. Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. xix + 431 pp.
  9. Duellman, W. E. 2001. Hylid frogs of Middle America. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Ithaca, New York, USA. Two volumes, 1,180 pp.
  10. Duellman, W. E., A. B. Marion, and S. B. Hedges. 2016. Phylogenetics, classification, and biogeography of the treefrogs (Amphibia: Anura: Arboranae). Zootaxa 4104: 1–109.
  11. Faivovich, J., C.F.B. Haddad, P.C.A. Garcia, D.R. Frost, J.A. Campbell and W.C. Wheeler. 2005. Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to Hylinae: Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 294:1-240.
  12. Fouquette Jr., M.J., and A. DuBois. 2014. A Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Seventh Edition. Volume 1—Amphibians. Xlibris LLC, Bloomington, Indiana. 586 pp.
  13. Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
  14. Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html
  15. Hammerson, G. A. 1982b. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver. vii + 131 pp.
  16. Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Second edition. University Press of Colorado, Boulder. xxvi + 484 pp.
  17. Hua, X., C.-z. Fu, J.-t. Li, A. Nieto-Montes de Oca, and J. J. Wiens. 2009. A revised phylogeny of Holarctic treefrogs (genus <i>Hyla</i>) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Herpetologica 65:246-259.
  18. Li, J.-t., J.-s. Wang, H.-h. Nian, S. N. Litvinchuk, J. Wang, Y. Li, D.-q. Rao, and S. Klaus. 2015. Amphibians crossing the Bering Land Bridge: Evidence from holarctic treefrogs (<i>Hyla</i>, Hylidae, <i>Anura</i>). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 87:80-90.
  19. Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87 pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx
  20. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  21. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.