We have eight species of native frogs in Maine. With one exception, all of them have memorable names that are helpful for description: Spring Peeper, Gray Treefrog, Pickerel Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, Mink Frog, Wood Frog, and, of course, Bull Frog.
The exception is this little fellow here who greeted us yesterday. He’s the “Green Frog.” Why someone would give one of our several species of green frogs the common name of the Green Frog is beyond me. It would be like naming the Northern Cardinal The Red Bird.
Nonetheless, we have here a fine Green Frog and we wish him well. (We can tell that he’s an adult male because his eardrum [“tympanum “] is larger than his eye.) Green frogs can grow to about four inches in length, with the females usually larger than their mates. But, the males have more memorable calling voices: they sound like someone plucking the same loose banjo string incessantly, unfortunately.
Speaking of naming frogs, the scientific name of the Green Frog is Rana clamitans, which means “frog that cries loudly.” It’s thought that this refers to the loud squeal that Green Frogs make when trying to leap away from danger.
More interesting facts are in Maine Amphibians and Reptiles (The University of Maine Press, 1999), which is highly recommended. (Brooklin, Maine) Click on image to enlarge it.