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Dryophytes versicolor

(LeConte, 1825)

Gray Treefrog

G5Secure Found in 27 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102087
Element CodeAAABC02130
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 versicolorLeConte, 1825
Other Common Names
gray treefrog (EN) Grey Treefrog (EN) Northern Gray Treefrog (EN) Rainette versicolore (FR)
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
Hyla versicolor was not distinguished from look-alike species H. chrysoscelis in most historical literature; it can be distinguished by chromosomes, erythrocyte size (Matson 1990), and call characteristics. Based on molecular markers and advertisement calls, Holloway et al. (2006) determined that Hyla versicolor is a tetraploid species that originated multiple times through interbreeding of extant diploid gray tree frogs and two other, apparently extinct, lineages of tree frogs. Tetraploid lineages then merged through interbreeding to form a single species.

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."

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. Zhang et al. (2019) reported on phylogenetic placement.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-10-19
Change Date2001-10-26
Edition Date2025-10-19
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2010); rev. R. L. Gundy (2025)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
This species has a large range in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. It is abundant and there are many secure populations.
Range Extent Comments
The range includes southeastern Canada from southern Manitoba to New Brunswick (Weller 2002), and southward through the northeastern and south-central United States to North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, eastern Texas, and southwestern Louisiana, and west to North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, eastern Kansas, and eastern Oklahoma (Little et al. 1989, McAlpine et al. 1991, Holloway et al. 2006, Dodd Jr. 2023).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Threat Impact Comments
Introduced bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and other predatory may cause declines in larval treefrog abundance (Smith et al. 1999). Road mortality is a minor threat (Dodd Jr. 2023).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

This species is essentially identical to Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). The upper side has numerous small warts and is usually green (especially juveniles) to gray and often has a pattern that resembles lichens that grow on tree trunks. There is a light spot under each eye. The groin and concealed bases of the hind legs are orange-yellow with black mottling. Maximum size is about 2.5 inches (6 cm) snout-vent length. Breeding male can be recognized by their darl loose throat skin. Breeding calls are loud slow trills (often mistaken for a woodpecker's call), with pulses slower than in Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). Larvae have strongly arched tails fins that may be heavily mottled with black and often tinged red or orange, and (if not broken) ending in a slender filament. Larvae reach a total length of up to around 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). Egg masses contain clusters of about 6-45 eggs, floating free or loosely attached to submerged vegetation.

Habitat

Gray treefrogs inhabit various kinds of wooded and forested habitats and may occur on the ground or more often in shrubs or trees. Inactive individuals may be in tree holes, under bark, in rotten logs, under leaves, and under tree roots.Breeding sites include shallow woodland ponds and marshes, puddles, ponds in forest clearings, swamps, bogs, and many other kinds of permanent or temporary, natural or human-created waters lacking a significant current. In northern Minnesota, successful reproduction in acidic bog water either does not occur or is a rare event (Karns 1992). In central Ontario, embryos and larvae exhibited high degree of acid tolerance (J. Herpetol. 26:1-6). The presence of snails (which may harbor trematodes that infect frogs) may influence choice of oviposition site by H. versicolor (Kiesecker and Skelly 2000).

Reproduction

Breeding occurs in spring or summer, beginning as early as March in the southern part of the range and usually in May in the north Females deposit clutches of up to about 2,000 eggs, distributed among several small clusters. Aquatic larvae hatch in a few days and metamorphose within 2 months.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLHERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaS4Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
QuebecS4Yes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
OntarioS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New HampshireS5Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS4Yes
MichiganS5Yes
TexasS5Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
KansasS4Yes
North CarolinaS2Yes
IowaS4Yes
South DakotaS2Yes
New JerseyS5Yes
ConnecticutS5Yes
MinnesotaS5Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
VermontS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
OhioSNRYes
IndianaS4Yes
MaineS4Yes
District of ColumbiaS4Yes
New YorkS5Yes
North DakotaS4Yes
KentuckyS2Yes
MissouriS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
Rhode IslandS5Yes
LouisianaS3Yes
DelawareS4Yes
MassachusettsS5Yes
WisconsinS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
IllinoisS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
4 - Transportation & service corridorsRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted - smallModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted - smallModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
9 - PollutionRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluentsRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (27)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Dismal CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest9,160
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
New Hampshire (7)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Virginia (10)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
West Virginia (4)
AreaForestAcres
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
References (24)
  1. 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.
  2. Conant, R., and J. T. Collins. 1998. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 616 pp.
  3. 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]
  4. DeGraaf, R. M., and D. D. Rudis. 1983a. Amphibians and reptiles of New England. Habitats and natural history. Univ. Massachusetts Press. vii + 83 pp.
  5. Dodd, C. K., Jr. 2023. Frogs of the United States and Canada, Second Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
  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. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. Gerhardt, H.C., Ptacek, M.B., Barnett, L. and Torke, K.G 1994. Hybridization in the diploid-tetraploid treefrogs <i>Hyla chrysoscelis</i> and <i>Hyla versicolor</i>. Copeia 1994:51-59.
  12. Holloway, A. K., D. C. Cannatella, H. C. Gerhardt, and D. M. Hillis. 2006. Polyploids with different origins and ancestors form a single sexual polyploid species. American Naturalist 167(4):E88-E101.
  13. 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.
  14. Jaslow, Alan P. and Richard C. Vogt. 1977. Identification and distribution of Hyla versicolor and Hyla chrysoscelis in Wisconsin. Herpetologica 33(2):201-205.
  15. Karns, D. R. 1992. Effects of acidic bog habitats on amphibian reproduction in a northern Minnesota peatland. J. Herpetol. 26:401-412.
  16. Kiesecker, J. M., and D. K. Skelly. 2000. Choice of oviposition site by gray treefrogs: the role of potential parasitic infection. Ecology 81:2939-2943.
  17. Little, M. A., B. L. Monroe, Jr., and J. E. Wiley. 1989. The distribution of the HYLA VERSICOLOR complex in the northern Appalachian highlands. J. Herpetol. 23:299-303.
  18. Matson, T. O. 1990. Erythrocyte size as a taxonomic character in the identification of Ohio HYLA CHRYSOSCELIS and H. VERSICOLOR. Herpetologica 46:457-462.
  19. McAlpine, D.F., Fletcher, T.J.S., Gorham, W. and Gorham, I.T. 1991. Distribution and habitat of the tetraploid gray treefrog, <i>Hyla versicolor</i>, in New Brunswick and eastern Maine. Canadian Field-Naturalist 105:526-529.
  20. Ralin, D. B., M. A. Romano, and C. W. Kilpatrick. 1983. The tetraploid treefrog HYLA VERSICOLOR: evidence for a single origin from the diploid H. CHRYSOSCELIS. Herpetologica 39:212-225.
  21. Smith, G. R., J. E. Rettig, G. G. Mittelbach, J. L. Valiulis, and S. R. Schaack. 1999. The effects of fish on assemblages of amphibians in ponds: a field experiment. Freshwater Biology 41:829-837.
  22. Vogt, R. C. 1981c. Natural history of amphibians and reptiles of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Public Museum. 205 pp.
  23. Weller, W. F. 2002. Geographic distribution: <i>Hyla versicolor</i>. Herpetological Review 33:221.
  24. Zhang, J., B. E. Luu, D.-n. Yu, L.-p. Zhang, R. Al-attar, and K. B. Storey. 2019. The complete mitochondrial genome of <i>Dryophytes versicolor</i>: Phylogenetic relationship among Hylidae and mitochondrial protein-coding gene expression in response to freezing and anoxia. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 132:461-469.