A rather fabulous male Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, that I encountered crossing the road. The mottling on the Bull is very variable. This one seems dark. Bulls never have ridges down the back on either side. And frankly none of our other Ranas get this big. Males can be told by that large eardrum. Female drum is equal to the eye size.

The lovely golden eye in close-up.

One of fifty thousand Green Frog, Rana clamitans melanota, hatchlings from the Nursery Pond near Lake Conway which is a Green Frog haven. These guys hang out near the water but when escaping are torn by their amphibious duality as to which way to run when frightened -- toward the water or away. Herds of them exited into the grass when I walked there on this day. Adult Green Frogs look like Bullfrogs in miniature and have two raised ridges down their backs that the Bulls lack.

The striking Rana palustris. A particular spring frog that likes only cool clear streams and ponds and tolerates pollution very poorly. Often assocaited with caves and mines. Resembles the much more widely distributed Rana sphenocephala, the Southern Leopard Frog. This is the more normal dorsal spot pattern. Some sections of the Ouachitas and Ozarks have spots elongated on the back.

The lovely Wood Frog, Rana sylvatica. We have our own separate population in the Ozarks. Also an isolate in Alabama and down into the Appalachians. Very early caller and breeder in Feb and Mar in our mountains. Wanders extensively. This one was on Richland Creek in Searcy county. The air sacs are on the side of the body in this frog. Very quiet call that does not carry far.