Pseudacris maculata - Red color morph...

[nwmnnaturalist]

Earlier in the fall, I found this absolute gem under a piece of bark I placed up by our yard's security light. Believe it or not, this is a Pseudacris maculata, or Boreal Chorus Frog! I have NEVER seen a color like this.

Later in the season, I found it quite stunned out in the open of the yard during the day. It had apparently been caught out of cover overnight in bitter cold temperatures and survived it. Others of this species had already bedded down, so I thought it was a good excuse to 'adopt' him.

He lives in the tank with the other two P. maculata, one P. crucifer and a Hyla versicolor. I've determined it's a male since he is the most vocal of the P. maculata. His 'domain' is a potted plant in one of the corners, and argues with others when they join him. He's a 'rival' of the P. crucifer, though they only call at each other and do little else. Since captured, his red coloration has darkened, but he still stands out.

 

[Scorpion]

Wow, what an awesome find!

 

[EasternNewtLove]

Wow! That is a beautiful frog!

 

[Scorpion]

Maybe you could trying breeding it and getting offspring with that color?

 

[EasternNewtLove]

Well, if thats an uncommon color, than isn't it likely a recessive trait? And wouldn't it be hard to get a baby of that color while breeding with another that would possible be heterozygous dominant? And completly impossible for a mate with homozygous dominant. I'm not sure if the frogs colors are determined by simple dominant/recessive though, or if it is co-dominant or that other one I always forget about where they blend.

 

[Scorpion]

Too many genetics terms. I learned about those in middle school, and that was years ago.

 

[EasternNewtLove]

Haha XD I just learned about it last year so its till fresh in my brain ;D

 

[nwmnnaturalist]

As much as I'd love to, I don't plan on breeding any of the frogs, since they are wild animals that I plan on returning once early summer returns and breeding starts. I am going to be keeping an eye out for more of these color morphs, since I'm curious as to what percentage of this coloration occurs in the population here.

 

[Scorpion]

Okay. Well, that's too bad.