Pseudacris ornata (Holbrook, 1836)

Size

Pseudacris ornata, commonly called the ornate chorus frog, measures 25–38 mm (1–1.5 in) in head-body length, with a maximum recorded size of 4 cm.

Body Coloration

Its background body color varies by location, most often reddish-brown or gray; a rare dominant allele can produce a bright green background color, and pinkish individuals also occur. This species typically has a defined but broken stripe or a series of spots running from the nose down the side of the body.

Head Markings

A distinct light-colored line marks the upper lip, and many individuals have a faint triangular marking on the very top of the head.

Ventral Markings

The belly is pure white, and yellow spots are usually present on the body in front of the hind legs.

Geographic Range

Ornate chorus frogs are most commonly found on the Southern coastal plain.

Adult Habitat

They typically inhabit xeric habitats, including pine stands, sandhills, and pine savannahs.

Breeding Habitat

Breeding occurs in woodland ponds, flooded fields, and roadside ditches, with the highest breeding activity seen in ponds within sandhills, pine forests, or pine plantations. Breeding sites commonly have an open canopy and herbaceous vegetation.

Tadpole Habitat Requirements

For tadpoles to fully develop, this species requires seasonally flooded, fish-free wetlands that hold water for three to four months.

Sexual Maturity

Ornate chorus frogs reach sexual maturity at around 1 year of age, and reproduce via external fertilization.

Amplexus & Fertilization

Females release eggs at the same time males release sperm, and the pair remains in an axillary amplexus position to ensure fertilization.

Mating Season & Behavior

Mating takes place from November to March, and both males and females may mate with multiple partners.

Egg Laying

Eggs are laid in clusters of 10 to 100, which are attached to submerged vegetation.

Parental Care

After laying, eggs are abandoned, and neither parent provides any parental care to eggs or hatched tadpoles.

Egg Hatching Traits

Eggs hatch between 1 and 2 weeks after laying, and hatching time is temperature dependent: colder temperatures extend the time until hatching, but also lead to larger size when tadpoles complete metamorphosis.

Tadpole Appearance

After hatching, tadpoles have two yellow stripes along the sides of a dark back, a high tail fin, and some individuals have a bicolored tail.

Tadpole Development

Tadpole development into fully formed frogs takes between two and four months, and temperature affects both development time and the frequency of different color morphs. The ratio of gray to brown morphs within a single clutch of tadpoles is influenced by the population density and temperature experienced during tadpole growth.