Common Name: Arizona Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla wrightorum
Appearance: The Arizona Treefrog is a green or copper/brown frog, not greater than 2.25” in size. It has a dark eye stripe that can extend all the way from the snout to the groin, which can be broken up into spots past the shoulder. The skin of the Arizona Treefrog is smooth and spots and/or dashes can often be seen on the upper and lower back. Toe pads are also present as with many treefrogs.
Diet: The Arizona Treefrog has a diet of primarily small invertebrates consisting of beetles, spiders, and a variety of things that it can fit in its mouth.
Habitat and Range: Found primarily above 5,000 ft., the Arizona Treefrog is found from Williams SE into New Mexico along the Mogollon Rim. Isolated populations are also found in the Sierra Anchas, and the Huachuca/Canelo Hills area in Southeastern Arizona down into Mexico. They are found most often in montane streams, wet meadows, and other bodies of water in higher elevations.
Breeding: Occurs during the summer monsoon season, Arizona Treefrogs usually take advantage of temporary pools of water with limited numbers of predators. Breeding calls usually occur for around 2-3 days and tadpoles metamorphose in 6 to 11 weeks.
Status: Arizona State Amphibian.
Threats: Primary threats are habitat loss to destruction and natural causes such as fire and drought. Populations in the Huachuca Mountains/Canelo Hills are especially susceptible to these natural events.
To follow the work being done with this species click here.
Additional Resources:
Reptiles and Amphibians of Arizona reptilesofaz.org:
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Turtle-Amphibs-Subpages/h-h-wrightorum.html
Brennan, T.C. and Holycross, A.T. (2009) A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona, Arizona Game and Fish Department. Phoenix, AZ.
Gergus, E.W.A, T.W. Reeder, and B.D. Sullivan. 2004. Geographic variation in Hyla wrightorum; advertisement calls, allozymes, mtDNA, and morphology. Copeia 2004(4):258-769
