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Home/Species/ Rio Grande Leopard Frog

Lithobates berlandieri

(Baird, 1859)

Rio Grande Leopard Frog

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106539
Element CodeAAABH01030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyRanidae
GenusLithobates
Synonyms
Rana berlandieriBaird, 1859
Other Common Names
Rana leopardo (ES)
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
Geographic variation is not well documented and relationships with extralimital Mexican forms (e.g., L. forreri, L. brownorum) are not well understood (Crother 2017). Males from some populations in extreme western Texas and adjacent Mexico lack vestigial oviducts; formerly these were thought possibly to represent a distinct species (Hillis 1981), but subsequent analysis of electrophoretic data indicate that they are conspecific with berlandieri (see Platz 1991). Taxonomic status of populations in the southern part of the range is questionable and in need of further study; possibly multiple species are represented (Frost 1985, Campbell 1998, Lee 2000). No subspecies are recognized (Platz 1991).
Conservation Status
Review Date2002-05-01
Change Date2001-11-14
Edition Date2002-05-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Range Extent Comments
Extreme southern New Mexico (Eddy County) and central and western Texas (north to Collin County) south through eastern and southern Mexico through the Yucatan peninsula, Belize, northern Guatemala to northeastern Nicaragua. Introduced and well established at numerous sites in the Imperial Valley of California, along the lower Colorado River from at least one site along the Baja California Norte-Sonora border to a point north of Yuma and south of Blythe (see Rorabaugh et al. 2002), and east 265 km along the Gila River, to approximately Buckeye, Maricopa County, replacing native R. yavapaiensis (Platz et al. 1990, Clarkson and Rorabauch 1989, Platz 1991). Elevation 0 - 1,650 m.
Threat Impact Comments
None
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Along streams and rivers, springs, stock ponds, backwaters, canals, drainage ditches, and arroyo pools in grassland, shrubland, savanna, desert, and woodland areas; chiefly a stream dweller. Utilizes both temporary and permanent water. Eggs and larvae develop in flowing or nonflowing water (mostly the former). Where introduced, uses mainly ditches, canals, irrigation sumps and ponds, and highly modified rivers (Rorabaugh et al. 2002).

Reproduction

Lays eggs after rains at almost any time of year, mostly March-May and August-November in Texas (populations sympatric with other leopard frog species may breed only during the late-summer to early winter period; Hillis 1981).
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TexasS5Yes
New MexicoS3Yes
CaliforniaSNANo
ArizonaSNANo
Roadless Areas (2)
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
References (26)
  1. Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999a. A field guide to Texas reptiles & amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. xviii + 331 pp.
  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. Campbell, J. A. 1998. Amphibians and reptiles of northern Guatemala, the Yucatan, and Belize. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. xix + 380 pp.
  5. Clarkson, R. W., and J. C. Rorabauch. 1989. Status of leopard frogs (<i>Rana pipiens</i> complex: Ranidae) in Arizona and southeastern California. Southwest. Nat. 34:531-538.
  6. 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]
  7. 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.
  8. Dixon, J. R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas. Second edition. Texas A & M University Press, College Station. 421 pp.
  9. Duellman, W. E. 1999. Patterns of distribution of amphibians: a global perspective. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. viii + 633 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. 2010. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.4 (8 April 2010). Electronic Database accessible at http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
  12. 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
  13. Hillis, D. M. 1981. Premating isolating mechanisms among three species of the <i>Rana pipiens</i> complex in Texas and Oklahoma. Copeia 1981:312-319.
  14. Hillis, D.M., Frost, J.S. and Wright, D.A. 1983. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Rana pipiens complex: a biochemical evaluation. Systematic Zoology. 32:132-143.
  15. Köhler, G. 2001. Anfibios y reptiles de Nicaragua Herpeton, Offenbach, Germany.
  16. Köhler, G. 2001. Anfibios y reptiles de Nicaragua. Herpeton, Offenbach, Germany.
  17. Lee, J.C. 1996. The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Yucatán Peninsula. Cornell University Press Ithaca, New York, USA.
  18. Lee, J. C. 2000. A field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of the Maya world: the lowlands of Mexico, northern Guatemala, and Belize. Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. 402 pp.
  19. McCranie, J.R. and L.D. Wilson. 2002. The amphibians of Honduras. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Ithaca, New York.
  20. McCranie, J.R. and Wilson, L.D. 2002. The Amphibians of Honduras. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Ithaca, New York, USA.
  21. Platz, J. E. 1991. <i>Rana berlandieri</i>. Cat. Am. Amph. Rept. 508.1-508.4.
  22. Platz, J. E., et al. 1990. <i>Rana berlandieri</i>: recently introduced populations in Arizona and southeastern California. Copeia 1990:324-333.
  23. Rorabaugh, J. C., M. J. Sredl, V. Miera, and C. A. Drost. 2002. Continued invasion by an introduced frog (<i>Rana berlandieri</i>): southwestern Arizona, southeastern California, and Rio Colorado, Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 47:12-20.
  24. Savage, J. M. 2002. The amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois.
  25. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  26. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.