spring peeper

(Pseudacris crucifer)

Conservation Status
spring peeper
Photo by Jeff LeClere
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

S4 - Apparently Secure

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Spring peeper species is easily identified by a distinctive “X”-shaped mark on its back.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

¾ to 1½

 
     
 

Voice

 
 
Listen to spring peeper
 
     
 

The male mating call is a high-pitched “peep” repeated once per second. Older males call faster than younger males. The sound has been compared to a tiny bell, a baby chick, and a cricket. It can be heard from April through May.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Woodlands, woodland edges, ponds, wetlands, and wet meadows.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Lifespan

 
 

3 to 5 years

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Tadpole Food

 
 

 

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

Small aquatic and terrestrial insects and other invertebrates.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 14, 24, 29, 30, 73, 76, 78.

 
  1/6/2023      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Amphibia (amphibians)  
  Superorder Batrachia (amphibians)  
  Order Anura (frogs and toads)  
  Suborder Neobatrachia  
  Superfamily Hyloidea  
 

Family

Hylidae (tree frogs and allies)  
 

Subfamily

Hylinae  
 

Genus

Pseudacris (chorus frogs)  
       
 

Subfamily
Most sources place the genus Pseudacris in the large subfamily Hylinae, including NCBI, AmphibiaWeb, and Amphibian Species of the World 6.1. ITIS and iNaturalist place the genus in the narrowly circumscribed subfamily Acridinae. Wikipedia is inconsistent but on the genus page it lists the subfamily as Acrisinae, and on that subfamily page lists Acridinae as a synonym.

Species
This species was formerly placed in the genus Hyla. It was transferred to the genus Pseudacris in 1984 based on allozyme data. Molecular data in 2004 supported the transfer.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Molecular data in 2004 suggested that the subspecies P. c. crucifer and P. c. bartramiana should no longer be recognized..

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Hyla crucifer

Hylodes pickeringii

Parapseudacris crucifer

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

spring peeper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this amphibian.

 
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Jeff LeClere

 
    spring peeper      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 

Spring Peepers
Andree Reno Sanborn

  Spring Peepers  
 
About

Pseudacris crucifer

 

Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper)
Allen Chartier

  Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper)  

Pseudacris crucifer
John Clare

  Pseudacris crucifer  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this amphibian.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
WisCBMnetwork
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 10, 2013

 
  Spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) calling
Ryan M. Bolton
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Apr 2, 2007

Spring peeper calling.
© Ryan M. Bolton
www.artofconservation.ca/RMBolton

 
  Super loud spring peeper frogs! (Pseudacris crucifer crucifer) #1
Reneejanet
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Apr 24, 2009

A sure sign of spring on the east coast, these thumbnail sized frogs are deafening!

 
  Spring Peeper Frogs - CTnaturalist Online
www.ctnaturalist.org
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Nov 30, 2009

Spring peepers are the smallest frog in Connecticut.

Each spring choruses of the males calls are heard emanating from vernal pools.

Video by Will Michael from CTnaturalist TV

 
  Spring peepers calling
Reptile and Amphibian Video
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Mar 20, 2009

Spring peepers calling

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this amphibian.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Jeff LeClere
4/20/2008

Location: Anoka County

spring peeper  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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