Pseudacris crucifer

(Spring Peeper)

Conservation Status

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Population Analysis

For the 10,921 species in the Class Amphibia (Amphibians), we average 11.19 observations each in our database; for the Spring Peeper, we have 855 observations. Compared to other species in this Class, this species is moderately common.
A two-sample t-test can be used to determine whether the trend in observations of the Spring Peeper is the same as the trend in observations of Amphibia. Is this species just as common, as a proportion of all observations, as it once was? The answer is no, changes in observation rate of this species significantly differ from changes in observation rate of its Class. (t=3.905, p<0.001)
How do observation rates of the Spring Peeper differ from those of Amphibia? To answer this, we examined the percentage of observerations for Amphibia that were observations of the Spring Peeper each year. We then correlated this percentage with observation year. If observations of the Spring Peeper are becoming more common relative to other species of Amphibia, the correlation should be positive, but if it is becoming less common, the correlation should be negative. In fact, the correlation is positive (r=.03), with a positive slope (m = .0038), suggesting that the Spring Peeper may be increasing relative to other species of Amphibia. This correlation is statistically significant. (F = 42.43, p<.05)
The scatter chart to the right shows the percentage of all observations for Amphibia each year that were observations of the Spring Peeper.

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
    - Branch: Deuterostomia Grobben, 1908 - Deuterostomes
      - Infrakingdom: Chordonia (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
        Phylum: Chordata Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
        Subphylum: Vertebrata Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
        Infraphylum: Gnathostomata auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
        Superclass: Tetrapoda Goodrich, 1930 - Tetrapods
        Class: Amphibia (am-FIB-ee-uh) C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Amphibians
        Subclass: Lissamphibia Haeckel, 1866
        Order: Anura (Fischer von Waldheim, 1813) Gray, 1825 - Frogs, Toads
        Suborder: Neobatrachia Reig, 1958
        Superfamily: Bufonoidea
        Family: Hylidae Rafinesque, 1815 - Hylid Frogs, Hylids
        Subfamily: Hylinae
        Genus: Pseudacris Fitzinger, 1843 - Chorus Frogs, Spring Peepers
        Specific name: crucifer (Wied-Neuwied, 1838)
        Scientific name: Pseudacris crucifer (Wied-Neuwied, 1838)

Unambiguous Synonyms:

Hyla crucifer Wied-Neuwied, 1838
Hyla crucifer subsp. bartramiana Harper, 1939
Hyla crucifer subsp. crucifer (Wied-Neuwied, 1838)

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 29-Aug-2005

Physical Description

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Species Pseudacris crucifer:

Size: 0.75-1.25in (1.9-3.2cm) . Coloring varies from yellow to brown, usually with a darker "X" on its back.

Images:

Pseudacris crucifer Pseudacris crucifer Adult(s) Photographer: David Cappaert Copyright: © David Cappaert Permissions for Use: see here. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 248596

Pseudacris crucifer Pseudacris crucifer Adult(s) Photographer: David Cappaert
Location Taken: United States Copyright: © David Cappaert. Permissions for Use: see www.ForestryImages.org. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 162253

Pseudacris crucifer Pseudacris crucifer Photographer: Giff Beaton
Location Taken: 5 Sep 2003, Arrowhead Lakes PFA, Floyd Co, Georgia Copyright: © Giff Beaton ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 106205

Distribution

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Range and Population

North America

Habitat

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Usually found in areas of brushy undergrowth near ponds or swamps.

Reproduction

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Spring Peepers breed in the winter or early spring in a variety of wetlands. Their call sounds like a high piping whistle.

Behavior

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Although Peepers can occasionally be seen in the woods during damp weather, they are most visible during the beeding season when they can be seen calling from vegetation in and around water.

Song/Voice

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Pseudacris crucifer

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Pseudacris:

Members of the genus Lupinus:

There are approximately 1,978 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: L. albifrons eminens · L. albus albus · L. arbustus arbustus · L. argenteus moabensis · L. arizonicus arizonicus · L. bicolor microphyllus · L. bicolor pipersmithii · L. bicolor tridentatus · L. bicolor umbellatus · L. canescens amblyophyllus · L. caudatus cutleri · L. concinnus optatus · L. densiflorus austrocollium · L. densiflorus densiflorus · L. densiflorus lacteus · L. desiflorus austrocollium · L. excubitus austromontanus · L. excubitus excubitus · L. excubitus hallii · L. excubitus medius · L. hispanicus bicolor · L. iyallii alcis-temporis · L. latifolius viridifolius · L. lepidus confertus · L. leucophylllus erectus · L. leucophyllus leucophyllus · L. leucophyllus plumosus · L. leucophyllus tenuispicus · L. luteus orientalis · L. lyalii minutifolius · L. lyallii lyallii · L. lyallii minurifolius · L. ornatus bracteatus · L. parviflorus myrianthus · L. perennis perennis · L. perennis plattensis · L. piperi imberbis · L. polyphyllus polyphyllus · L. pusillus rubens · L. sericeus amplus · L. sericeus sabinii · L. sericeus sericeus · L. sparsiflorus inopinatus · L. sparsiflorus mohavensis · L. sulphureus delnortensis · L. sulphureus kincaidii · L. sulphureus subsaccatus · L. villosus diffusus · L. 'African Sunset' · L. 'Alan Titchmarsh' · L. 'Amber Glow' · L. 'Animal' · L. 'Anne Gregg' · L. 'Approaching Storm' · L. 'Apricot Spire' · L. 'Aston Villa' · L. 'Avalon' · L. 'Baby Doll' · L. 'Baby Spice' · L. 'Bagpuss' · L. 'Barnsdale' · L. 'Betty Astell' · L. 'Billy Wright' · L. 'Bishop's Tipple' · L. 'Blossom' · L. 'Blue Jacket' · L. 'Blue Moon' · L. 'Blue Streak' · L. 'Blueberry Pie' · L. 'Blushing Bride' · L. 'Boningale Lass' · L. 'Bruiser' · L. 'Bubblegum' · L. 'Candy Floss' · L. 'Captain Scarlet' · L. 'Casanova' · L. 'Cashmere Cream' · L. 'Catherine of York' · L. 'Chameleon' · L. 'Chandelier' (Lupin) · L. 'Chelsea Pensioner' · L. 'Cherry Belle' · L. 'Cherry Pie' · L. 'City of York' · L. 'Clifford Star' · L. 'Comet' · L. 'Copperlight' · L. 'Coral Reef' · L. 'Corngold' · L. 'Daydream' · L. 'Deborah Woodfield' · L. 'Desert Sun' · L. 'Devon Lace' · L. 'Dolly Mixture' · L. 'Dorset Cream' · L. 'Dreaming Spires' · L. 'Dumpty' · L. 'Dwarf Lulu' · L. 'Esmerelder' · L. 'Fred Yule'

Bibliography

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Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, A. L. Gardner, and W. C. Starnes 2003. Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada.
Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians and Reptiles, Third Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. St. Louis, Missouri, USA. ii-41. ISBN: 0-916984-21-4.
Conant, R. and J. T. Collins 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians, Eastern and Central North America, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, Massachusetts. 450.
Crother, Brian I., Jeff Boundy, Jonathan A. Campbell, et al. / Moriarty, John J., ed. 2000. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Herpetological Circular, no. 29. iv + 82. ISBN: 0-916984-54-0.
Flores-Villela, Oscar / McCoy, C. J., ed. 1993. Herpetofauna Mexicana: Lista anotada de las especies de anfibios y reptiles de México, cambios taxonómicos recientes, y nuevas especies. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication, no. 17. Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. iv + 73. ISBN: 0-911239-42-1.
Frost, Darrel R. 1997. Amphibian Species of the World, A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Second edition. New York, New York, U.S.A.

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Notes

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Contributors:

Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina
Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 3, 2006.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 09, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 9 providers.

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 09, 2008:

Bird Studies Canada: Marsh Monitoring Program - Amphibians
Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics
California Academy of Sciences: CAS Herpetology Collection Catalog
Canadian Museum of Nature: Canadian Museum of Nature Amphibian and Reptile Collection - Anura
Carnegie Museums: Amphibians and Reptiles
Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates: Amphibians and Reptiles Collection
EMAN Provider: FrogWatch Canada
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History: Vertebrate specimens
Marine Science Institute, UCSB: Paleobiology Database
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology: Terrestrial vertebrate specimens
Sternberg Museum of Natural History: Herp Collection
Yale University Peabody Museum: Peabody Herp Collection DiGIR provider Service

Identifiers:

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 207303
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 262463
Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: AAABC05090
Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 165472

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Last Revised: April 24, 2008