Ranidae 



THE SOUTHERN BULLFROG 

 Rana grylio Stejneger 



IDENTIFICATION CHARACTERISTICS 



Colour: Head and shoulders usually vividly green; olive 

 posteriorly, with many irregular black spots. The whole frog may 

 be olive or rich dark brown. Ear orange-brown, with green centre. 

 Middle and posterior back may have four longitudinal bands of 

 bright orange-brown, alternating with bands of olive. Small black 

 spots on legs. Underparts light, unspotted, except posteriorly. 

 Throat of male bright yellow. Undersurfaces of legs may be mot- 

 tled and reticulated in coarse pattern with black and yellow. 



Measurements: Size large, i. e. length 4 to 5 inches. Head 

 long, its length contained little more than two and one-half 

 times in the total length. (Fig. 269.) Legs medium in length; 

 length to heel equals length of frog forward to a point anterior 

 to the eye. Tibia same length as femur. 



Structure: Skin smooth on the head, slightly rougher else- 

 where on upper parts (Fig. 274); when examined closely, seen 

 to be everywhere finely pitted. Head with pointed outlines, 

 gradually diverging backward to the widest part of the head 

 in the region of the middle point of the ear. (Fig. 271.) Eyes 

 greatly elevated and unusually large. (Fig. 273.) Space be- 

 tween the eyes narrow. Ear of male greatly larger than the 

 eye (twice the diameter) (Fig. 269); that of the female about 

 equals the eye in diameter. (Fig. 270.) Nostrils prominent, 

 near together; slightly nearer to the muzzle than to the eye. 

 Elevated fold of skin over the ear to the shoulder. (Fig. 274.) 

 A groove runs along the midline of the back. Arms and legs 

 very muscular. Fingers long. (Fig. 271.) Foot broad; webs 

 large, extending fully to ends of toes (all except fourth toe rela- 

 tively longer than corresponding toes of Rana catesbiana). 

 (Fig. 272.) No outer sole tubercle; inner sole tubercle small. 

 Palm tubercles and all subarticular tubercles small. 



Range: Reported from Florida (Pensacola, Kissimmee, 

 Ozona) and Mississippi (Bay St. Louis). 



This frog was first found in 1900 at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, 

 but was not recognised as a distinct species until more material 



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