Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora aurora)

File size: 1.40 MB. Format: JPEG image (image/jpeg), Dimensions: Screen: 3593px x 2400px. Print: 11.98 x 8.00 inches. Resolution: 300 dpi (high, print quality) Depth: Full Color High Resolution Image Primary Metadata: Title: Red legged frog. Alternative Title: (Rana aurora aurora)

Creator: Hayes, Marc P. Source: WO5410-26. Publisher: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Contributor DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. Language: EN - ENGLISH, Rights: (public domain) Audience: (general). Subject: California.

Northern Red-legged Frog From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Northern Red-legged Frog, Rana aurora aurora, is a protected species of amphibian, whose range is the coastal region stretching from Northern California to southwest British Columbia. As a member of the genus Rana, this species is considered a true frog, with characteristic smooth skin and a narrow waist. This frog requires still waters for breeding and is rarely found at any great distance from its breeding ponds or marshes.

Rana aurora aurora adults may attain a length of eight centimeters; they have a dark facial mask and a characteristic light stripe along the jawline. The Northern Red-legged Frog has long, powerful legs well adapted to significant leaps; in fact its proximate species, R. draytonii, is considered to be that depicted by Mark Twain, in the famed tale of the Leaping Frog of Calaveras County. It is one of two amphibian species classified as Red-legged Frog, the other species being termed California Red-legged Frog; however, the latter species is found primarily from Marin County southerly to Baja California. These two genetically distinct species are believed to intergrade in the counties of Marin and Sonoma. In some systems of taxonomy, this species is classified as Rana aurora aurora.

The Northern Red-legged Frog is found in every coastal county of California from Mendocino County northward and including coastal Oregon. While it occurs primarily in the Northern California coastal mountain ranges, it is not found above an elevation of 1200 meters. It also occurs somewhat less commonly in the southern Cascade Range. The species is thought to intergrade with Rana draytonii in Marin County and Sonoma County, California, but has been observed as far south as San Mateo County.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article, Northern Red-legged Frog

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