Acris gryllus
(Le Conte, 1825)
Southern Cricket Frog
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103292
Element CodeAAABC01020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyHylidae
GenusAcris
Other Common Names
southern cricket frog (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
The lineages delimited on the basis of the molecular evidence of Gamble et al. (2008) do not correspond to the nominal subspecies occasionally employed by various previous authors. It seems on that basis, recognition of the subspecies A. g. dorsalis and A. g. gryllus is not warranted (Crother 2017).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-05-11
Change Date1996-10-18
Edition Date2025-05-11
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2025)
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
This species is common and widespread throughout the southeastern United States. No major rangewide threats are known at this time.
Range Extent Comments
This species is endemic to the southeastern United States east of the Mississippi River. It is found from southeastern Virginia south to southern Florida, west to southeastern Louisiana and north to southeastern Tennessee. Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records from 2000-2025, range extent is estimated to be 1.224 million km².
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Threat Impact Comments
As has been shown for Acris crepitans, insecticides such as imidacloprid likely cause high mortality rates in this species (Ade et al. 2010). Studies in Florida show this species does not appear to be heavily impacted by chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), Perkinsea, or ranavirus (Rizkalla 2010, Hartmann et al. 2022, Hartmann et al. 2024).
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Grassy margins of swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, streams, ditches, bogs, and nearby temporary pools, including such habitats in openly wooded areas that do not produce excessive shade. Eggs and larvae develop in shallow water.
Reproduction
Lays clutch of about 150 eggs in spring or summer. May produce >1 clutch each year. Aquatic larvae metamorphose usually in summer.
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLHERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | S2 | Yes |
| Mississippi | S5 | Yes |
| Virginia | S4 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S5 | Yes |
| South Carolina | S5 | Yes |
| Georgia | S5 | Yes |
| Alabama | S5 | Yes |
| Florida | S4 | Yes |
| Louisiana | S5 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Pervasive - large | Negligible or <1% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 8.2 - Problematic native species/diseases | Pervasive - large | Negligible or <1% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 9 - Pollution | Restricted - small | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluents | Restricted - small | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 9.3.3 - Herbicides and pesticides | Restricted - small | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
Roadless Areas (11)
Florida (7)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Springs Creek | Ocala National Forest | 2,954 |
| Clear Lake | Apalachicola National Forest | 5,592 |
| Farles Prairie | Ocala National Forest | 1,901 |
| Impassable Bay | Osceola National Forest | 2,789 |
| Long Bay | Apalachicola National Forest | 5,726 |
| Natural Area Wsa | Osceola National Forest | 2,543 |
| Pinhook | Osceola National Forest | 15,405 |
North Carolina (3)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Catfish Lake North | Croatan National Forest | 11,299 |
| Catfish Lake South - B | Croatan National Forest | 172 |
| Pond Pine B | Croatan National Forest | 2,961 |
South Carolina (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Hellhole Ext | Francis Marion National Forest | 891 |
References (20)
- Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999b. A field guide to Florida reptiles and amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. xvi + 278 pp.
- 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.
- 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.
- Collins, J. T., and T. W. Taggart. 2009. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians, turtles, reptiles, and crocodilians. Sixth edition. The Center for North American Herpetology, Lawrance, Kansas. iv + 44 pp.
- 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.
- Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php
- 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]
- Dodd, C. K., Jr. 2013. Frogs of the United States and Canada. Volume 1. Frogs of the United States and Canada. Volume 1 :xxxi + 460.
- 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.
- 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
- Gamble, T., P. B. Berendzen, H. B. Shaffer, D. E. Starkey, and A. M. Simons. 2008. Species limits and phylogeography of North American cricket frogs (<i>Acris</i>: Hylidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48:112-125.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
- Hartmann, A. M., K. Sash, E. P. Hill, N. M. Claunch, M. L. Maddox, S. McGrath-Blaser, C. C. McKinstry, R. J. Ossibof, and A. V. Longo. 2024. Partitioning the influence of host specificity in amphibian populations threatened by multiple emerging infectious diseases. Biological Conservation 296: 110685.
- Hartmann, A. M., M. L. Maddox, R. J. Ossibof, and A. V. Longo. 2022. Sustained <i>Ranavirus</i> outbreak causes mass mortality and morbidity of imperiled amphibians in Florida. EcoHealth 19: 8-14. doi: 10.1007/s10393-021-01572-6
- 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.
- Micancin, J. P., and J. T. Mette. 2009. Acoustic and morphological identification of the sympatric cricket frogs <i>Acris crepitans</i> and <i>A. gryllus</i> and the disappearance of A. gryllus near the edge of its range. Zootaxa 2076: 1–36.
- Micancin, J. P., A. Tóthe, R. Anderson, and J. T. Mette. 2012. Sympatry and syntopy of the cricket frogs <i>Acris crepitans</i> and <i>Acris gryllus</i> in southeastern Virginia, USA and decline of <i>A. gryllus</i> at the northern edge of its range. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 7(3): 276-298.
- Mount, R. H. 1975. The reptiles and amphibians of Alabama. Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. vii + 347 pp.
- <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
- Rizkalla, C. E. 2010. Increasing detections of <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> in Central Florida, USA. Herpetological Review 41(2): 180-181.