Minnesota Seasons - spring peeper

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy


Conservation Status
IUCN Red List	LC - Least Concern
NatureServe	N5 - Secure S4 - Apparently Secure
Minnesota	not listed

Photo by Babette Kis

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.

Biology

Behavior

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Life Cycle

Adult Food

Small aquatic and terrestrial insects and other invertebrates.


Distribution
		Sources 4, 7, 14, 24, 29, 30, 73, 76, 78.
8/31/2024

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 places 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 it 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

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Babette Kis

Pseudacris crucifer Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer, Spring Peeper, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co. on August 29,2024.


Jeff LeClere


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera

Slideshows

Spring Peepers
Andree Reno Sanborn

About

Pseudacris crucifer

Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper)
Allen Chartier

Pseudacris crucifer
John Clare

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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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


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