334 Frogs of the Okefinokee Siuamp 



Rana aesopus (Cope) 



(PI. Ill, Fig. 5; IX, Fig. 4; XI, Figs. I, 2; XIII, Fig. 4; XVI, Fig. 2; XVII; XXXIV; XXXV; 



Text Figs. I, 22) 



COMMON NAMES 

 Gopher Frog. Florida Gopher Frog. Southern Gopher Frog. Florida Frog- 



RANGE 



Check list. Range, Florida. Type locality Micanopy, Fla. — Stejneger 

 Barbour (1917, p. 36). 



Rana capita LeConte. Range "Florida District." Cope. Type locality 

 Riceborough, Ga. 



Supplementary records. Mr. Richard T. Deckert (1920, p. 26) reports 

 "an adult male, collected in May, 19 19, by Chas. E. Snyder, near Pinelands, 

 Hampton Co., South Carolina, and it is quite hkely that the species extends a 

 good deal further north and east than even this locality." 



This record north of the type locality of Rana capita LeConte prompts the 

 query whether Rana capito is an isolated colony of the R. areolata group 

 separating R. aesopus into northern and southern colonies or whether the 

 more reasonable conclusion might not be that Rana capito and R. aesopus are 

 one species extending from Pinelands, S. C. far down into Florida. See dis- 

 cussion under Affinities. 



Local Okefinokee records. In 192 1 we secured it at Chesser Island July 

 17, and on August 9 Mr. Francis Harper photographed one along the St. 

 Mary's River, Florida, six miles north of Macclenny (i mile east of Smith 

 Bridge). In 1922 we secured adults or tadpoles from Trader's Hill, Ga., for 

 several miles along the Trail Ridge to the big bend of St. Mary's River and 

 across St. Mary's at Hihiard, Fla., August 17, 1922. 



Our records are along the Trail Ridge which extends north and south from 

 Georgia into Florida, the southernmost record of our trip being HilUard, 

 Fla., and northernmost between Chesser Island and Folkston, Ga. Residents, 

 however, report them from farther north at Braganza and Hickox, Ga. 



GENERAL APPEARANCE 



This species has had several apt characterizations. Cope remarks (1889, 

 p. 412) "This singular form may be known at once by the short and squat 

 form of the body as compared with the size of the head, resembling in this some 

 of the Australian Cystignathidae." Miss Dickerson (p. 194) writes "The 

 Gopher Frog of Florida is very different from other frogs in general appearance. 

 It is squat and toad-like, having an unusually large head, with a prolonged 

 muzzle, and eyes prominent and bulging even for a frog. Because of the 

 unusual length and breadth of head, this frog has a mouth relatively larger 

 than those of other North American frogs. These structural characteristics 

 give the frog so pecuhar an appearance that although it may agree with Rana 

 palustris and with Rana pipiens in colour and in being prominently spotted, 

 there would never be any difficulty in distinguishing it as a different species." 



