A New Species of Frog is Discovered in Connecticut and Metro New York

When was the last time a new species was discovered in this area? Not a rarity, like an off-course bird that resulted in a first-for-the-state record, but a completely new species?

There’s fascinating news this morning that, in fact, we have a new addition to our regional fauna – a leopard frog that has a different call and different DNA than the southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) or the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens). This story, in the New York Times, explains how the new species was discovered, first on Staten Island and then at other locations, in New Jersey, the outer suburban counties of New York, and central Connecticut. Here’s how the Times describes the new frog’s distinctive call:

On a foray into the wilds of Staten Island in 2009, Jeremy A. Feinberg, a doctoral candidate in ecology and evolution at Rutgers University, heard something strange as he listened for the distinctive mating call of the southern leopard frog — usually a repetitive chuckle. But this was a single cluck.

“I started hearing these calls, and I realized they were really distinct,” Mr. Feinberg said.

The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians describes the northern leopard frog’s call as “A low guttural snore lasting about 3 seconds, followed by several clucking notes,” and the southern leopard frogs as a “Series of short throaty croaks.”

The question for us is whether we have the new species of leopard frog on any of our 19 sanctuaries. We’ll be out this spring, listening for the single chuck as well as the guttural snore and repetitive chuckle. – Tom Andersen, Director of Communications and Community Outreach