Ranlidae 



THE SOUTHERN LEOPARD FROG 



Rana sphenocephala Cope * 



Identification Characteristics 

 Colour: Green or brown, but more often a combination of 

 the two, with one colour abruptly invading the other in irregular 

 fashion. (See Colour Plate XH.) Sometimes grey or fawn colour. 

 Green or brown spots (small, irregular, or rounded), arranged in 

 two irregular rows between the lateral folds, and still more irregu- 

 larly on the sides. Spots usually not surrounded by light rings. 

 Lateral folds light green, golden, or bronze. This colour of 

 the lateral folds continues forward over the eye and along the 

 canthus rostralis to the end of the muzzle. Also light metallic 

 lines along the jaw from the shoulder to the end of the muzzle. 

 These four converging colour lines meet in acute angles at the 

 end of the muzzle. Eye golden or bronze, with a dark line through 

 it. Ear bronze, with a white circular spot at its centre (not an 

 irregular blotch, such as may be present in Rana pipiens. (Fig. 

 215.) Upper and lower lips dark, conspicuously spotted with 

 white. Legs barred or spotted. (These bands or spots may 

 be edged with light.) (Fig. 214,) Arms conspicuously spotted. 

 Usually a dark band on the front of the humerus; also on 

 the front of the femur (Figs. 215 and 220.) Concealed part 

 of femur dark in colour, with yellow or white spots or reticu- 

 lations. Underparts glistening white, yellow posteriorly. The 

 throat and breast may be distinctly or obscurely mottled with 

 brown. Whole frog iridescent. 



Measurements: Size medium, i.e. 2 J to 3^ inches. Head 

 long, its length contained two and a half times in the total length 

 of head and body. (Figs. 219 and 220.) Leg long, its length 

 to the heel exceeding the length of the body forward to the end of 

 the muzzle. (Fig. 213.) Tibia much longer than femur. 



Structure: Skin relatively smooth, very finely tubercular on 

 back, sides, and tibiae. Tibia may be ridged lengthwise. More 

 or less unbroken lengthwise folds of skin — four in number — 

 between the prominent lateral folds. (Figs. 214 and 220.) 

 Glandular fold along jaw to shoulder. Head narrow, pointed. 



^Rana vireseens sphenocephala Cope. 



186 



