Canyon Treefrog

Dryophytes arenicolor

Status: Least Concern

Size: 2-2.2” in length

Habitat: Shrublands, inland wetlands, rocky areas and mountain peaks.

At the Zoo: Reptile House

The canyon treefrog requires temporary or permanent pools of water.  They live in rocky areas in some of our mountain ranges where they live in isolated populations in northeastern New Mexico and the Big Bend area of western Texas.  They are also found in western and southeastern Colorado and southern Utah, south through Arizona and in northern Oaxaca in Mexico.  They can be very difficult to find.  

To avoid predators canyon treefrogs completely blend into their surroundings. During dry periods they will keep their soft undersides carefully tucked down in a shady area to limit moisture loss.  Most stable populations live in places where there is standing water year round.   Because the canyon tree frog requires small pools of water, they are particularly vulnerable to climate change.  They eat a variety of small invertebrates including spiders, ants and beetles.  Tadpoles will eat algae, plant tissue and other fine pieces of organic material living they find in the water.

Photos:
Cover – Andrew DuBois, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Top – Katja Schulz, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Middle – squamatologist, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Bottom – Ashley Wahlberg (Tubbs), Wikimedia Creative Commons