In Alabama and Mississippi, Neotropical frogs are an introduced species. The family is represented in the SAIN region by one species, the Greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris), which occurs in Alabama and Mississippi (NatureServe, 2008). E. planirostris is native to Cuba and the northern Bahamas (Somma, 2006). According to USGS research:
Leptodactylids are found throughout the American tropics and are a diverse group but share a suite of morphological characteristics. They are adapted to a variety of habitats and exhibit a wide range of reproductive strategies, including foam nests and direct development in which tadpoles undergo complete metamorphosis within the egg.
Males of some species congregate to call in loud choruses to attract females to breeding ponds, but males of most species in this family call singly, often while hidden in vegetation, burrows, or crevices. ( Jung, Holmes, Droege, & Sauer, 1999, para. 1-2)
Neotropical Frogs in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee
Impacts of this nonindigenous species in Alabama and Mississippi are not yet known, but interactions with native species such as cohabitation of burrows and ground cover have been observed (Somma, 2006). In addition to Alabama and Mississippi, the species has been reported in Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
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NBII Catalog Query for Neotropical Frogs (family Leptodactylidae)
Species Spotlight
[Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, Southeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative]
Greenhouse Frog Eleutherodactylus planirostris
Description:Greenhouse frog is a small, striped or variably mottled frog. Adult snout-vent length ranges from 16-32 mm. Toe pads are not readily apparent, eyes are reddish.
Life History:Terrestrial eggs are laid in moist, sheltered areas. Larvae skip the aquatic tadpole stage.
Habitat:Prefers sheltered habitats including moist leaf litter, debris, gopher tortoise burrows, and gardens.
Distribution:Native to Cuba, Cayman Islands, Northern Bahamas. Nonindigenous populations in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Hawaii, and other tropical areas [See current continental U.S. distribution].
