Wood Frog

Description:

Adult female wood frog spotted near a vernal pool in Maryland. Wood frogs come in varying shades of brown and red. Most individuals have a black marking over the eyes that looks like a robber’s mask. Females are much larger than males.

Habitat:

Inhabit a wide variety of habitats including tundra, thickets, wet meadows, bogs, coniferous and deciduous forests. Wood frogs are aquatic breeders and require fish-free seasonal or semi-permanent bodies of water to reproduce, but will migrate from their primary habitat to breed. They are found farther north than any other North American reptile or amphibian. They are the only frogs found north of the Arctic Circle

Notes:

Wood frogs have adapted to super cold climates by freezing over the winter. During this time, they stop breathing and their hearts cease to beat. They produce a special antifreeze substance that prevents ice from freezing within their cells, which would be deadly. Read more about this amazing adaptation in the link below: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/217/12...