ID Keys:
Frogs
Salamanders
Turtles
Lizards & Snakes
How to key
Glossary
Photos:
Frogs
Salamanders
Turtles
Lizards & Snakes
Links
Cortland Herpetology Connection
Frog Key
See also species
distribution
maps at the
New
York State
Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project website.
Key to the families of adult frogs in New York
| 1.a. | Pupil of eye vertical | Pelobatidae |
| 1.b. | Pupil horizontal | 2 |
| 2.a. | Parotoid glands present | Bufonidae |
| 2.b. | Parotoid glands absent | 3 |
| 3.a. | Intercalary cartilage between last
two phalanges of the toes, some with pads at toe tips |
Hylidae |
| 3.b. | No intercalary cartilage, no toe pads | Ranidae |
Key to the species of the family Pelobatidae of New York
| 1.a. | Only species found in New York | Eastern Spadefoot toad |
| Scaphiopus holbrookii |
Key to the species of the family Bufonidae of New York
| 1.a. | One or two warts in each dark spot on back, warts on shank generally larger than those on thigh |
American toad |
| Bufo americanus | ||
| 1.b. | 3-4 warts in each dark spot on back, warts on shank not larger than those on thigh |
Fowler's toad |
| Bufo fowleri |
Key to the species of the family Hylidae of New York
| 1.a. | Slight webbing on hind foot, smooth skin | 2 |
| 1.b. | Extensive webbing on hind foot, warty skin | 3 |
| 2.a. | Slender dark X on back, dark triangle between eyes, toe pads moderate in size | Spring peeper |
| Pseudacris crucifer | ||
| 2.b. | Approximately three dark stripes on back, pale upper lip, narrow head, toe pads small | Western chorus frog |
| Pseudacris triseriata | ||
| 3.a. | Toe pads large, distinct dark dorsal blotches, light spot beneath eye, often orange inside thighs | Gray treefrog |
| Hyla chrysoscelis/versicolor | ||
| 3.b. | Toe pads absent, dark triangle between eyes, irregular blotches on back, dark line along thigh | Northern cricket frog |
| Acris crepitans |
Key to the species of the family Ranidae of New York
| 1.a. | Distinct dorsal spots present | 2 |
| 1.b. | No distinct dorsal spots | 4 |
| 2.a. | Dorsal spots square and in paired rows along back, often yellow or orange inside thighs | Pickerel frog |
| Rana palustris | ||
| 2.b. | Dorsal spots rounded, not paired | 3 |
| 3.a. | Pointed snout, usually a white spot on tympanum,
usually no dark spot above snout |
Southern leopard frog |
| Rana sphenocephala | ||
| 3.b. | Snout less pointed, no white spot on tympanum,
usually a dark spot above snout |
Northern leopard frog |
| Rana pipiens | ||
| 4.a. | Dark mask beneath eye and enclosing tympanum,
dorsolateral ridge distinct, body uniformly tan or brown |
Wood frog |
| Rana sylvatica | ||
| 4.b. | No mask | 5 |
| 5.a. | Webbing reaches tip of 4th hind toe, hind legs with dark spots or blotches, tympanum smaller than or equal to size of eye | Mink frog |
| Rana septentrionalis | ||
| 5.b. | Webbing fails to reach tip of 4th hind toe, hind legs often with dark cross bands, tympanum equal to or greater than eye | 6 |
| 6.a. | Dorsolateral ridge present on body | Green frog |
| Rana clamitans | ||
| 6.b. | Dorsolateral ridge absent | Bullfrog |
| Rana catesbeiana |
| Cortland Herpetology Connection |
 |
| Dr.
Peter Ducey, Project Director Biology Department, SUNY Cortland Email: duceyp@cortland.edu |
Craig
Cramer, Webmaster Email: cdcramer@clarityconnect.com |
Special thanks to all those who generously loaned images and other help. See our credits page for more information.
http://www.cortland.edu/herp/keys/frogkey.htm