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Hyla of the Pine Woods
Colour.—Brown or grey above, dull white underneath. A triangular dark spot between the eyes. A large blotch on the anterior back, sending two short branches forward (which may unite with the spot between the eyes) and two larger ones outwards and backwards. There may be several spots irregular in shape and position on the posterior back. A dark line extends from the end of the muzzle along the canthus rostralis through eye and ear, continuing along the sides of the frog to the thighs The immediate margin of the jaw is usually dark, perhaps relieved by a lighter colour above (never a distinct line or band). Arms and legs may have dark cross-bars. The posterior surface of the femur is brown, spotted with white or yellow. Posterior lines of tibia and tarsus margined with dark, which is in turn edged with light above.
Measurements.—Size small, i.e. length 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 inches. Head short, much broader than long. Body short and broad. Leg short; length to heel equals length of body forward to ear or eye.
Structure.—Skin nearly smooth above. Underparts granular, even in the throat-region. Muzzle rounded, slightly projecting beyond jaw. Nostrils terminal. Canthus rostralis angular. Ear small. A fold of skin across the breast. Fingers long. Disks on fingers and toes well developed. Foot provided with a tarsal ridge, small inner sole tubercle, and web of medium size. The fingers show slight webs.
Range.—Hyla femoralis is reported from Florida (Arlington, Micanopy, Green Cove Springs), Georgia (Allapaha, Riceborough, Nashville), South Carolina (Goose Creek), North Carolina (Wilmington), and Texas (Dallas).
Colour.—Changeable from a colour so dark that it is nearly black, to delicate shades of green, grey, or fawn colour. When the medium shades are most intense, there is a pronounced colour pattern, which is obscure or lacking when the shade is light or dark. This pattern consists of a band between the eyes, connected with a cross-shaped mark on the back, various irregular spots placed laterally and posteriorly to the cross, transverse bars on the arms and hands, and three of four transverse bars on the legs. In addition, there is a permanent colour pattern as follows: a light spot under the gold or bronze eye; a light line along the jaw, extending back to the shoulder (the immediate edge of the jaw is dark); a dark line from the eye backward to the shoulder, terminating in a prominent black patch of colour over the arm insertion; and a distinct white spot above and encircling arm insertion. The belly is light, unspotted. Breast and throat (female) obscurely or distinctly spotted with dark. Posterior surface of thigh somewhat spotted, not reticulated. Sides light, spotted with dark (perhaps reticulated); yellowish posteriorly.
Measurements.—Size large for a tree frog, i. e. length 2 1/8 inches or more. Head short compared with total length (5/8 inches in frog of 2 1/8 inches.) Leg measurement to heel equals length of body forward to the eye (female).
Structure.—Skin of upper parts relatively smooth, set everywhere with very fine tubercles. Underparts granulated, even on throat. Eyes widely separated. Canthus rostralis unusually prominent, nostrils near their terminal point. Ear round, nearly as large as the eye. Distinct fold of skin over the ear from eye to shoulder. A prominent fold across the breast. Disks of fingers and toes large. Webs of toes medium in size. Fingers slightly webbed. Inner sole tubercle small; outer lacking. Tubercles under joints of fingers and toes fairly prominent. A conspicuous tarsal fold.
Range.—Smilisca baudinii is typical of Mexico and Central America. In Texas, it has been reported from Brownsville and Helotes.
Colour.—Variable and changeable. Usually some shade of brown, with a triangular dark mark between the eyes, a lighter band of colour in the midline of the back, and three obliquely-placed elongated spots on each side of the body. The spots and dorsal band may be green or red-brown, and are often outlined with light. There is a light line from the eye to the arm. Eye bright orange. Throat of male, in spring, yellow. Legs with three transverse bands, or irregularly spotted. Posterior face of femur conspicuously striped lengthwise. Underparts light-colour
Measurements.—Size extremely small, i. e. length 5/8 inch to 1 1/4 inches. Legs long; the length of the leg to the heel is greater than the length of head and body together. The tibia is longer than the femur. Foot scarcely longer than tibia.
Range.—The Cricket Frog is found in Eastern North America and through an extent of country including Florida, Texas, Kansas, and the Northwest. On the Atlantic coast it has not been reported north of southern New York and Connecticut.