Oregon Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pretiosa
Distribution: parts of Washington and Oregon
Habitat: in the mountains near cold streams and lakes up to 1570 meters
Life Span: 5-10 years
Size: length 4.5-7.5 centimeters (males); 6-10 centimeters (females)
Weight: 25-90 grams
Coloring: brown to red with dark spots and light centers; dark mask bordered by a light stripe on the upper jaw; yellow to red underside with dark mottling on the throat
Eyes: round, yellow-green; round pupils; turned slightly upward
Eggs: clusters are free-floating; hatch in 3-21 days (depends on temperature)
Diet: insects (beetles, flies, spiders), mollusks, crustaceans, red-legged frogs, western toads; tadpoles eat algae, organic debris, carrion, plant tissue
Predator(s): bullfrogs, basses, sunfishes, river otters, herons
Behavior: diurnal, nonmigratory; sit-and-wait predators
Reproduction: breeding season March to June; females lay between 600 and 640 eggs
Conservation Status: vulnerable (IUCN 3.1); population decreasing
Major Threat(s): invasive species (bullfrogs, fishes); habitat loss and degradation due to dam construction, agricultural overuse of water, livestock grazing
Conservation Action(s): listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
Other Notes: toes are fully webbed; males have swollen "thumbs"; plays an important role in checking insect populations; tadpoles keep ponds and streams clear of algae
Interesting Facts:
Distribution: parts of Washington and Oregon
Habitat: in the mountains near cold streams and lakes up to 1570 meters
Life Span: 5-10 years
Size: length 4.5-7.5 centimeters (males); 6-10 centimeters (females)
Weight: 25-90 grams
Coloring: brown to red with dark spots and light centers; dark mask bordered by a light stripe on the upper jaw; yellow to red underside with dark mottling on the throat
Eyes: round, yellow-green; round pupils; turned slightly upward
Eggs: clusters are free-floating; hatch in 3-21 days (depends on temperature)
Diet: insects (beetles, flies, spiders), mollusks, crustaceans, red-legged frogs, western toads; tadpoles eat algae, organic debris, carrion, plant tissue
Predator(s): bullfrogs, basses, sunfishes, river otters, herons
Behavior: diurnal, nonmigratory; sit-and-wait predators
Reproduction: breeding season March to June; females lay between 600 and 640 eggs
Conservation Status: vulnerable (IUCN 3.1); population decreasing
Major Threat(s): invasive species (bullfrogs, fishes); habitat loss and degradation due to dam construction, agricultural overuse of water, livestock grazing
Conservation Action(s): listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
Other Notes: toes are fully webbed; males have swollen "thumbs"; plays an important role in checking insect populations; tadpoles keep ponds and streams clear of algae
Interesting Facts:
- Originally, the Oregon spotted frog and the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) were classified as one species.
- The Oregon spotted frog's scientific name, pretiosa, means "precious."
- Oregon spotted frogs are a bioindicator species, meaning that their health is an indicator of the health of their environment. If the frogs are unhealthy or their population declines, then chances are that their environment is polluted, and other species will soon follow.