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Rana sylvatica


Rana sylvatica
Photo Information
Copyright: John Denk (jpdenk) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 234 W: 1 N: 355] (963)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-07-31
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Nikon D70, Micro Nikkor AF60mm f2.8
Exposure: f/32, 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-04-10 6:55
Viewed: 572
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Rana sylvatica, Wood Frog, quite rare around where I live as I am right on the edge of its range, but a common species to the north and east, especially to the north. Again, a photo from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore park near Cowles Bog. As you can see, they blend right in with the forest litter and can be hard to see when they're sitting still. If this one hadn't hopped, I wouldn't have noticed it in the dark woods where I found it.

According to Wikipedia:

Wood Frog is the common name given to Rana sylvatica. The Wood Frog has a broad North American distribution, extending from the Southern Appalachians to Boreal forests.

As for other northern frogs hibernating close to the surface in soil and/or leaf litter, wood frogs are resistant to freezing. Liver glycogen is converted in large quantities to glucose, in response to ice formation in their tissues. Glucose acts as an antifreeze, inhibiting ice formation in and rupture of cells. If ice formation is confined to extracellular fluids, they can survive the winter.

Wood frogs are forest-dwelling organisms that breed primarily in ephemeral, freshwater wetlands: 'woodland vernal pools'. Long-distance migration plays an important role in their life history.

Individual Wood Frogs range widely (hundreds of meters) among their breeding pools and neighboring freshwater swamps, cool-moist ravines, and/or upland habitats. Genetic neighborhoods of individual pool breeding populations extend more than a kilometer away from the breeding site. Thus, conservation of this species requires a landscape (multiple habitats at appropriate spatial scales) perspective.

Although the wood frog is not a particularly rare species (unless on the edges of its range), its habitat is rapidly disappearing due to conversion to housing, road building, and wetland loss and degradation.
boreocypriensis, marhowie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To marhowie: Thanksjpdenk 1 05-01 07:12
To mariki: Thanksjpdenk 1 04-14 07:02
To Nilson: Thank youjpdenk 1 04-12 11:37
To boreocypriensis: Thanksjpdenk 1 04-11 07:32
To fragman: Thanksjpdenk 1 04-11 07:32
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Critiques [Translate]

very nice and sharp, greetings Ori

Hi friend John,
Splendid shot of this beautiful frog in all aspects.
Many thanks and regards,
Bayram

Ola John
Bonita foto deste sapo simpatico, suas cores se camuflam muito bem com as folhas secas do chão, o brilho na pele ficou muito legal. A nitidez ficou excelente e o desfoque dofundo deixou a foto muito mais interessante.
Parabens
Nilson

Hello John,

Very nice picture of this frog. Excellent composition and sharpness. Great colours. It must be difficult to find it with its good camouflagle.
Well done,
Cheers,
Mariki

Hello John,
Well seen in its natural environment blending in so completely.
Very good detail, color, DOF, and use of flash.
A great post,
Howard

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