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Dryophytes cinereus

(Schneider, 1799)

Green Treefrog

G5Secure Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105168
Element CodeAAABC02060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyHylidae
GenusDryophytes
Synonyms
Hyla cinerea(Schneider, 1799)
Other Common Names
green 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. This taxonomy was accepted by Amphibian Species of the World and followed here. It is not followed by the Society for the Study of Amphibians And Reptiles (SSAR) with Crother (2017) stating, "acceptance of this taxonomy within the community is not clear at this point." Two subspecies occasionally are recognized (H. c. cinerea and H. c. evittata), but not by Crother (2017) or Frost (2020).

Faivovich et al. (2005) redelimited this monophyletic taxon to include only North American and Eurasian species. Hua et al. (2009) discussed relationships within the group. Fouquette and Dubois (2014) recognized a suite of subgenera based on genetic and morphological evidence, but pending a more thorough evidentiary review, Crother (2017) hesitates to employ this taxonomy.
Conservation Status
Review Date2004-01-04
Change Date1996-10-18
Edition Date2010-01-26
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
Range extends from Delaware south to southern Florida along the Coastal Plain, west to south-central Texas; north from the Gulf Coast to southeastern Oklahoma, southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, western Kentucky, western Tennessee, and northern Alabama. Isolated introduced population in south-central Missouri (Johnson 2000); also introduced in northwestern Puerto Rico (Isabela-Aguadilla area); Brownsville, Texas; and possibly a coastal island in Florida (see Redmer and Brandon 2003). Introduced population in eastern Kansas is apparently extirpated (Collins 1993). Native/introduced status in Indiana is uncertain (Lodato et al. 2004). Tadpoles of this species sometimes appear in new areas as a result of being incidentally stocked with gamefishes (J. Jensen, pers. comm., 2001).
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

The upper surface and at least part of the throat is usually bright green but ranges from yellowish to grayish, depending on conditions. A white or yellowish stripe extends along the upper jaw and side of the body and along the leg (stripes sometimes are reduced or absent). The toe tips are large and rounded. The back sometimes has small, scattered yellow spots. Maximum size is about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) snout-vent length. Breeding male have gray or pinkish throat skin. Breeding calls are a loud "queenk," repeated about 80 times per minute. Larvae are greenish yellow with a light stripe between the eye and nostril; the tail muscles are mottled, and the eyes are at the margin of the head when viewed from above. Larvae grow up to about 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) in total length.

Habitat

Green treefrogs inhabit swamps, marshes, and areas adjacent to ponds, lakes, and slow streams, particularly where aquatic habitats include abundant floating and emergent vegetation. Little is known about the habits of green treefrogs outside the breeding season; they may overwinter in upland situations near wetlands. Eggs and larvae develop in shallow, still, permanent or long-lasting temporary water. Males call while perched on plants next to water or while sitting on floating plants.

Reproduction

Breeding occurs in spring or early summer (mainly April-August). Hundreds of adults may aggregate at breeding pools. Individual females divide one or more clutches of several hundred eggs among multiple clusters. Larvae hatch in a few days, often shelter and feed among dense floating vegetation, and metamorphose in a couple months, by the end of summer (often July-August).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS4Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
IndianaS4Yes
TexasS5Yes
LouisianaS5Yes
MissouriS4Yes
District of ColumbiaSHYes
MississippiS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
IllinoisS3Yes
ArkansasS5Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
DelawareS3Yes
FloridaS5Yes
KentuckyS4Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
OklahomaS3Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
New JerseySNRYes
Roadless Areas (6)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
Florida (2)
AreaForestAcres
Impassable BayOsceola National Forest2,789
Natural Area WsaOsceola National Forest2,543
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Hellhole ExtFrancis Marion National Forest891
References (31)
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  2. Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999b. A field guide to Florida reptiles and amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. xvi + 278 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. Collins, J. T. 1993. Amphibians and reptiles in Kansas. Third edition, revised. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Public Education Series No. 13. xx + 397 pp.
  5. 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]
  6. 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.
  7. Dundee, H. A., and D. A. Rossman. 1989. The amphibians and reptiles of Louisiana. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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
  12. Hedges, S.B. 1993. Global amphibian declines: a perspective from the Caribbean. Biodiversity and Conservation. 2:290-303.
  13. Hedges, S.B. 1999. Distribution of amphibians in the West Indies. Patterns of Distribution of Amphibians. A Global Perspective. Duellman, W.E.,editor. The Johns Hopkins Press. Baltimore, Maryland.
  14. Hedges, S.B. 2001. Caribherp: database of West Indian amphibians and reptiles (http://www.caribherp.net). Pennsylvania State University. University Park, PA.
  15. Hedges, S. B., R. Powell, R. W. Henderson, S. Hanson, and J. C. Murphy. 2019. Definition of the Caribbean Islands biogeographic region, with checklist and recommendations for standardized common names of amphibians and reptiles. Caribbean Herpetology 67: 1-53.
  16. 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.
  17. Jensen, J. B., C. D. Camp, W. Gibbons, and M. J. Elliot, editors. 2008. Amphibians and reptiles of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, Athens. xvii + 575 pp.
  18. Johnson, T.R. 1977. The Amphibians of Missouri. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Public Education Series 6: ix + 134 pp.
  19. Johnson, T. R. 2000. The amphibians and reptiles of Missouri. Second edition. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City. 400 pp.
  20. Lodato, M. J., S. Kramer, and J. Horton. 2004. Geographic distribution. <i>Hyla cinerea</i>. Herpetological Review 35:281.
  21. Martof, B. S., W. M. Palmer, J. R. Bailey, and J. R. Harrison, III. 1980. Amphibians and reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 264 pp.
  22. McAlpine, S. 1992. Genetic variation and reproductive success in the green treefrog, HYLA CINEREA. Abstract, 6th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, p. 91.
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  24. Perrill, S. A., and R. E. Daniel. 1983. Multiple egg clutches in <i>Hyla regilla</i>, <i>H. cinerea</i>, and <i>H. gratiosa</i>. Copeia 1983:513-516.
  25. Redmer, M., and R. A. Brandon. 2003. <i>Hyla cinerea</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 766:1-14.
  26. Redmer, M., L. E. Brown, and R. A. Brandon. 1999. Natural history of the bird-voiced treefrog (HYLA AVIVOCA) and green treefrog (HYLA CINEREA) in southern Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 36(2).
  27. Redmond, W. H., and A. F. Scott. 1996. Atlas of amphibians in Tennessee. The Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Miscellaneous Publication Number 12. v + 94 pp.
  28. Rivero, J.A. 1978a. Los anphibios y reptiles de Puerto Rico. The amphibians and reptiles of Puerto Rico. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Editorial Universitaria.
  29. Rivero, J. A. 1978a. Los anphibios y reptiles de Puerto Rico. (The amphibians and reptiles of Puerto Rico.) Universidad de Puerto Rico, Editorial Universitaria. Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. 148 p. + plates.
  30. Schwartz, A., and R. W. Henderson. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, Florida. xvi + 720 pp.
  31. Tobey, F. J. 1985. Virginia's amphibians and reptiles: a distributional survey. Virginia Herpetological Survey. vi + 114 pp.