About Lithobates areolatus (Baird & Girard, 1852)
Lithobates areolatus, commonly called the crawfish frog, reaches a length of 2.2 to 3.0 inches (5.6 to 7.6 cm). Its body color ranges from yellow to brown, with a white ventral surface. The numerous dark brown spots on the back of L. areolatus each have a light-colored ring around them. It has a distinct skin fold on either side of its back; these folds are much more pronounced in males than in females, and the species has a relatively small tympanum. The crawfish frog is found in parts of the central and southern United States, ranging from Indiana west to Kansas, south to Texas, and east to Alabama. This species is largely associated with former prairie regions that contain crawfish burrows. Due to habitat loss and urbanization, many of its populations have been extirpated. A sizable population of this species was documented in Sumter County, Alabama in 2016. A new county record for the species was added in 2017, from Perry County, Arkansas within the Ouachita Mountains. Additional information can be found in the notes section below.
