Learn More
Get Involved
Southern Leopard Frog

Southern Leopard Frog

Lithobates sphenocephalus

Least Concern

Quick Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Abundance: Common
Habitat: Wetland
Activity: Nocturnal (Active at night)

Southern Leopard Frogs are slender frogs, with long legs and sharply pointed heads. They are green or brown in color with a yellowish ridge along each side of the back. They have rounded dark spots on the back and sides and a light spot on each eardrum. The call is described as a “ratchet-like trill”, “chuckling croak”, or a “squeaky balloon-like sound”.

Diet

Feed primarily on insects, crayfish, and other invertebrates

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)
Kingdom: Animalia
→
Phylum: Chordata
→
Class: Amphibia
→
Order: Anura
→
Family: Ranidae
→
Genus: Lithobates
→
Species: Lithobates sphenocephalus

Scientific Name

Lithobates sphenocephalus

Common Name

Southern Leopard Frog
Breeding Season
November-March in the southern portion of their range and March-June in the northern parts of their range.

Behavior

Southern leopard frogs are mostly nocturnal, but can be active during the day and the night, especially during rainfall. They hide during the day in vegetation at the edge of the water. When threatened, these frogs avoid predators by entering the water and swimming away. When on land jumps are high and in often in sequences of 3 at a time. Southern leopard frogs are solitary outside of the breeding season, when they occur in large breeding colonies.

Ecological Role

Southern leopard frogs play a valuable role in the food chain. Birds, river otters, large fish, and many snake species prey on them. In turn, southern leopard frogs prey on smaller frogs, insects, and larvae.

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)

Habitat Types

Wetland

Geographic Distribution

Southern leopard frogs are found from New Jersey in the north and south through the Coastal Plain to Florida. The range extends westward through Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, eastern Iowa, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas.

Local Abundance

Common

Conservation Status

Least Concern

This species is widespread and abundant. No immediate threat to survival.

How You Can Help

  • Report sightings to contribute to population monitoring
  • Support habitat conservation efforts
  • Follow guidelines when observing wildlife
No field notes or observations available for this species.

Contribute Your Observations

Have you spotted this species? Your observations help us track populations and understand behavior patterns.

Submit an Observation