Bronze Frog - The State of Water

Bronze FrogRana clamitans clamitansAPPEARANCELength: 2 to 4 inches (5.4 to10.2 cm)Distinguishing Characteristics• Bronze to brownish body• White belly with dark, irregular blotches• Bright green upper lip and nose• Males may have yellowish throats.• Smooth skinned, like all true frogs• Long hind legs with webbed toes• Fold of skin, called a lateral line, begins behind the eye runstwo-thirds the length of body.• Tympanum (ear disc) is larger in males.LIFE HISTORYRange: Southeastern portion of the UnitedStates, from North Carolina to the easternthird of TexasDiet: Small frogs, worms, insects, and othersmall invertebratesPredators: Birds, fish and small carnivores (meateaters)Sexual maturity: First full summer after metamorphosisBreeding season: Early spring through summerEggs: 2,000 to 4,000 eggs in small massesattached to underwater vegetation. Eggsare 1.5 mm when laid, but grow to6 mm as cells divide.Incubation: 1 to 2 weeksYoung: Tadpoles are green with small, darkspots. They grow 1 to 1.5 inches (28 to33 mm) before they metamorphose(change from tadpoles to frogs).Life span: 7 to 10 yearsHABITATBronze frogs prefer shallow streams, ponds, marshes, springs,and swamps with plenty of vegetation.BEHAVIORBronze frogs are nocturnal and solitary. They remain undercover, in logs and crevices, most of the time. Male bronze frogscourt females with a distinct call. Researchers agree that thelove song of the bronze frog sounds like someone plucking aloose banjo string. In fact, another common name for thebronze frog is the “banjo frog.”NOW YOU KNOW!• Rana is the Latin word for “frog.” Clamitans, the speciesand subspecies name, means “noisy” and refers to the call ofthe male.• The bronze frog is a member of the true frog family, theRanidae family.• The moist, permeable skin of the bronze frog (like other frogspecies) makes it very sensitive to pollution, a good indicatorof water quality for people.BRONZE FROGS AND PEOPLEThere is concern about the decline in amphibian populationsworldwide, although there is not enough information aboutmost amphibians (bronze frogs included) in Texas to determinewhether there is cause for concern here. Worldwide, scientistsare investigating a number of possible causes for amphibiandecline: acid rain, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers, industrialwaste, habitat destruction, introduced species, bacteria, ozonedepletion and global warming. It could be a combination of anyor several of these suspected causes. In Texas, citizens can joinTexas Amphibian Watch to help scientists keep an eye on thehealth of Texas amphibian populations.www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature or call 512-912-7011PWD LF D0200-848A (8/02) NOTICE: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department receives federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the RehabilitationAct of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior and its bureaus prohibit discriminationon the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex (in educational programs). If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any Texas Parks and Wildlife Department program, activity, or facility, or if youdesire further information, please call or write: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Civil Rights Programs - External Programs, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Webb 300, Arlington, VA 22203, (703) 358-1724.