Rana sylvatica

The wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus or Rana sylvatica) has a broad distribution over North America, extending from the Boreal forest of Canada and Alaska to the southern Appalachians, with several notable disjunct populations including lowland eastern North Carolina. The wood frog has garnered attention by biologists over the last century because of its freeze tolerance, relatively great degree of terrestrialism (for a ranid), interesting habitat associations (peat bogs, vernal pools, uplands), and relatively long-range movements. The ecology and conservation of the wood frog has attracted research attention in recent years because they are often considered 'obligate' breeders in ephemeral wetlands (sometimes called 'vernal pools') that are themselves more imperiled than the species that breed in them. The wood frog has been proposed to be the official state amphibian of New York. Wood frogs range from 51 to 70 mm (2.0 to 2.8 in) in length. Females are larger than males. Adult wood frogs are usually brown, tan, or rust-colored, and usually have a dark eye mask. Individual frogs are capable of varying their color; Conant (1958) depicts one individual when light brown and dark brown at different times. The underparts of wood frogs are pale with a yellow or green cast.