The Southern Leopard frog is one of my favorite frogs (although really I like all the native frogs!). These guys are found throughout the southeastern US, and their range overlaps with the Northern Leopard frog. They are distinguished from the Northern by 1) a distinct light spot in the middle of the typanum (yes, google that word!), 2) longer, more pointed head, and 3) just a few dark spots on the side of the body. They can be found in all types of shallow freshwater habitats, and interestingly, they even venture into brackish coastal marshes. Recently some herpetologists have started to distinguish a separate species as the Florida Leopard frog, but it depends on who you talk to! They forage on insects, small fish, and small crustaceans. When threatened they will emit one short high-pitched squeak. I felt so blessed to get the shots seen here. There were literally 100s of these guys in shallow puddles foraging on tiny fish on Panther Island. I must admit to laying in the mud to get most of these shots.
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