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> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. --Boundary_(ID_R3VuhOPGcX7BHz8LBX45fA) Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT I'm compelled to add a bit about identifying wood frogs versus spring peepers. Angus' terrific photo shows a fairly average colour for the peeper, although normally it can vary quite a bit; however, in Spring the calling males at the ponds are normally very dark brown on their backs, so that the pattern of lines that sometimes make a vague X or chi shape are not visible. But the suction discs at the ends of the toes, mentioned by Chris, are always there and allow instant identification since this is our only species of treefrog (except for that unusual case of a gray treefrog a couple of summers ago, and gray treefrogs are huge compared with peepers and have bumpy skin). Wood frogs are mostly smooth-skinned and normally a light to medium brown on the back, with a diagnostic black mask over the eyes like a bandit. However, as with peepers, in Spring the calling male wood frogs are very dark brown on their upper parts, so that the mask is not noticeable. If you can spot a calling wood frogs, look for what look like water-wings on either side of the neck -- paired vocal sacs -- and appropriately the calling wood frog is usually floating on the surface of the pond, and often in groups of calling males. Great fun to try to observe -- remember to assemble your flashlight and boots and raincoat and umbrella and camera with flash to be ready for rainy Spring nights, when nobody else will be out scouting with you, and then just follow the calls! The call of the wood frog has been likened to a barnyard full of clucking chickens and ducks, and the call does not carry very far compared with the peeper's call. Finally, everyone should know that Spring peepers call throughout the Fall, and generally not at or near water. Does anyone know just what advantage there might be to the peeper to call attention to itself in the Autumn. ---------- From: Angus MacLean <angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 12:53:04 -0300 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Unknown Frog... Thanks, Chris, I forgot about the "crucifer" name. It surprises me that they are so small !! Angus At 12:13 PM 9/14/2006, you wrote: Hi Angus, Great shot: this is a Spring Peeper. The "suction-cup" tree-frog toes and the black "X" on the back (from which the "crucifer" part of its name derives) are giveaways. Cheers, Chris On 14-Sep-06, at 12:03 PM, Angus MacLean wrote: Yesterday I noted a small frog under some bushes and managed to nab it. I presume because of its size it is a Wood Frog, young or female but frankly the Wood Frogs I have seen before were quite dark. In any case it's a cute little guy!! Hopefully someone can confirm it ... http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=243151181&size=m <http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=243151181&size=m> As before click on "original" for a closeup photo. Thanks in advance.. Angus _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6 (902) 424-6435 Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca > _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. --Boundary_(ID_R3VuhOPGcX7BHz8LBX45fA) Content-type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>FW: [NatureNS] Unknown Frog...</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> I'm compelled to add a bit about identifying wood frogs versus spring peepers. Angus' terrific photo shows a fairly average colour for the peeper, although normally it can vary quite a bit; however, in Spring the calling males at the ponds are normally very dark brown on their backs, so that the pattern of lines that sometimes make a vague X or chi shape are not visible. But the suction discs at the ends of the toes, mentioned by Chris, are always there and allow instant identification since this is our only species of treefrog (except for that unusual case of a gray treefrog a couple of summers ago, and gray treefrogs are huge compared with peepers and have bumpy skin).<BR> <BR> Wood frogs are mostly smooth-skinned and normally a light to medium brown on the back, with a diagnostic black mask over the eyes like a bandit. However, as with peepers, in Spring the calling male wood frogs are very dark brown on their upper parts, so that the mask is not noticeable. If you can spot a calling wood frogs, look for what look like water-wings on either side of the neck -- paired vocal sacs -- and appropriately the calling wood frog is usually floating on the surface of the pond, and often in groups of calling males. Great fun to try to observe -- remember to assemble your flashlight and boots and raincoat and umbrella and camera with flash to be ready for rainy Spring nights, when nobody else will be out scouting with you, and then just follow the calls!<BR> <BR> The call of the wood frog has been likened to a barnyard full of clucking chickens and ducks, and the call does not carry very far compared with the peeper's call.<BR> <BR> Finally, everyone should know that Spring peepers call throughout the Fall, and generally not at or near water. Does anyone know just what advantage there might be to the peeper to call attention to itself in the Autumn.<BR> ----------<BR> <B>From: </B>Angus MacLean <angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca><BR> <B>Reply-To: </B>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR> <B>Date: </B>Thu, 14 Sep 2006 12:53:04 -0300<BR> <B>To: </B>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR> <B>Subject: </B>Re: [NatureNS] Unknown Frog...<BR> <BR> Thanks, Chris, I forgot about the "crucifer" name. It surprises me that they are so small !!<BR> Angus<BR> <BR> At 12:13 PM 9/14/2006, you wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>Hi Angus,<BR> <BR> Great shot: this is a Spring Peeper. The "suction-cup" tree-frog toes and the black "X" on the back (from which the "crucifer" part of its name derives) are giveaways.<BR> <BR> Cheers,<BR> <BR> Chris<BR> <BR> On 14-Sep-06, at 12:03 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:<BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>Yesterday I noted a small frog under some bushes and managed to nab it. I presume because of its size it is a Wood Frog, young or female but frankly the Wood Frogs I have seen before were quite dark. In any case it's a cute little guy!!<BR> <BR> Hopefully someone can confirm it ...<BR> <BR> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=243151181&size=m <http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=243151181&amp;size=m> <BR> <BR> As before click on "original" for a closeup photo.<