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Home/Species/ Mountain Chorus Frog

Pseudacris brachyphona

(Cope, 1889)

Mountain Chorus Frog

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1180191
Element CodeAAABC05200
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyHylidae
GenusPseudacris
Concept Reference
Ospina, O. E., L. Tieu, J. J. Apodaca, and E. M. Lemmon. 2020. Hidden diversity in the Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona) and the diagnosis of a new species of Chorus Frog in the southeastern United States. Copeia 108(4):778-795.
Taxonomic Comments
Nuclear phylogenetic analysis by Ospina et al. (2020) supported a clear split between Northern and Southern clades of Pseudacris brachyphona. In light of genetic, acoustic, and ecological divergence between the clades, they elevated the taxonomic status of the Southern clade and named that species P. collinsorum.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-31
Change Date2024-07-31
Edition Date2024-07-24
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2024)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
This species is limited to the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern U.S. It is widespread with many occurrences. This species suffered some historical declines due to habitat loss. Currently, threat impacts, which include habitat loss, habitat degradation, and road mortality, are considered low.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs on the western slope of the Appalachian Mountain Region of the U.S. in southwestern Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, West Virginia, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, central Tennessee, and extreme northern Alabama (Frost 2020, Ospina et al. 2020). The southern limit is the Tennessee River (Ospina et al. 2020). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF 2024) records, range extent was estimated to be 484,713 km².
Occurrences Comments
Applying a 5 km separation distance for GBIF (2024) records, there are approximately 236 occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
Habitat loss due to development and forest clearing, and habitat degradation from forestry activities are primary threats. Females have been shown to lay 4-6 times fewer egg masses in clearcut forest stands versus forest stands left intact or with removal of 25% of the canopy cover (Felix et al. 2010). Other members of the genus Pseudacris in the southeastern U.S. are susceptible to infection by the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) (Rothermel et al. 2008), but it is not yet known if this species is susceptible. Road mortality is a likely threat that needs further study. It is unknown how this species will respond to climate change.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species prefers wooded, hilly areas where deciduous species are common (Quercus, Carya, and Acer spp.). Those forests fall into the South-Central Interior mesophytic, Eastern cool temperate ruderal, and Northern-Central hardwood and conifer forest types (Ospina et al. 2020). It probably hides under objects or underground when inactive. Eggs and larvae develop in wetlands in, or adjacent to, woods including spring pools, flooded ditches, pools along streams, and woodland ponds (Green 1952). Eggs are attached to leaves, sticks, or other vegetation in water (Green 1938). Generally found at elevations between 365-1066 m above sea level (Green 1938).

Ecology

Generally not a very abundant species. It was only documented once in 14 surveys in its range in southwestern Virginia (Gibson 2023).

Reproduction

Females lay 300-1500 eggs (distributed among small clusters), usually late winter or early spring but also during rainy weather in summer (Green 1938, Ethier et al. 2021). Eggs hatch in 7-10 days (Green 1952, Ethier et al. 2021). Larvae metamorphose in 4-9 weeks (Green and Pauley 1987, Ethier et al. 2021).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodWoodland - Hardwood
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
MarylandSHYes
AlabamaSNRYes
VirginiaS4Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
PennsylvaniaS2Yes
OhioSNRYes
TennesseeS4Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areasRestricted (11-30%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsLarge (31-70%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsLarge (31-70%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useRestricted - smallModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingRestricted - smallModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5.3.3 - Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]Large - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownUnknown
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)UnknownUnknown
11.2 - DroughtsPervasive (71-100%)UnknownUnknown

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Roadless Areas (3)
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Walker MountainJefferson National Forest9,818
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
References (20)
  1. Barbour, R. W. 1971. Amphibians and reptiles of Kentucky. Univ. Press of Kentucky, Lexington. x + 334 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. Cocroft, R. B. 1994. A cladistic analysis of chorus frog phylogeny (Hylidae: <i>Pseudacris</i>). Herpetologica 50:420-437.
  4. Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xvii + 429 pp.
  5. Drayer, A. N., and S. C. Richter. 2016. Physical wetland characteristics influence amphibian community composition differently in constructed wetlands and natural wetlands. Ecological Engineering 93: 166–174. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.05.028.
  6. DuBose, T. P., V. Catalan, C. E. Moore, V. R. Farallo, A. L. Benson, J. L. Dade, W. A. Hopkins, and M. C. Mims. 2024. Thermal Traits of Anurans Database for the Southeastern United States (TRAD): a database of thermal trait values for 40 anuran species. Ichthyology & Herpetology 112(1): 21–30. doi: 10.1643/h2022102
  7. Felix, Z. I., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer. 2010. Effects of experimental canopy manipulation on amphibian egg deposition. Journal of Wildlife Management 74(3): 496–503. doi: 10.2193/2008-181.
  8. 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
  9. Green, N. B. 1938. The breeding habits of <i>Pseudacris brachyphona</i> (Cope) with a description of the eggs and tadpole. Copeia 1938(2): 79-82.
  10. Green, N. B. 1952. A study of the life history of <i>Pseudacris brachyphona</i> (Cope) in West Virginia with special reference to behavior and growth of marked individuals. Ph.D. dissertation. Ohio State University, Columbus. 163 pp.
  11. Green, N. B., and T. K. Pauley. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. xi + 241 pp.
  12. Hoffman, R.L. 1980. Pseudacris brachyphona. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 234:1-2.
  13. J. D. Gibson. 2023. Geographic, seasonal, habitat and climate factors impacting prevalence of anuran species during Virginia Herpetological Society surveys between 1991-2022. Catesbeiana 43(1): 25-37.
  14. J. P. Ethier, A. Fayard, P. Soroye, D. Choi, M. J. Mazerolle, and V. L. Trudeau. 2021. Life history traits and reproductive ecology of North American chorus frogs of the genus <i>Pseudacris</i> (Hylidae). Frontiers in Zoology 18:40. doi: 10.1186/s12983-021-00425-w.
  15. 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.
  16. Mount, R. H. 1975. The reptiles and amphibians of Alabama. Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. vii + 347 pp.
  17. Ospina, O. E., L. Tieu, J. J. Apodaca, and E. M. Lemmon. 2020. Hidden diversity in the Mountain Chorus Frog (<i>Pseudacris brachyphona</i>) and the diagnosis of a new species of Chorus Frog in the southeastern United States. Copeia 108(4):778-795.
  18. Rothermel, B. B., S. C. Walls, J. C. Mitchell, C. K. Dodd Jr., L. K. Irwin, D. E. Green, V. M. Vazquez, J. W. Petranka, and D. J. Stevenson. 2008. Widespread occurrence of the amphibian chytrid fungus <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> in the southeastern USA. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 2: 3-18. doi: 10.3354/dao01974.
  19. Semlitsch, R. D. 1998. Biological delineation of terrestrial buffer zones for pond-breeding salamanders. Conservation Biology 12:1113-1119.
  20. Weir, L. A., J. A. Royle, K. D. Gazenski, and O. Villena. 2014. Northeast regional and state trends in anuran occupancy from calling survey data (2001-2011) from the North American amphibian monitoring program. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 9(2): 223–245.