General Description: Baja California Treefrogs (Pseudacris regilla) are small frogs with suction cups on the toes and a dark line through the eye (facial mask) that ends at about the shoulder. Overall color ranges from green to brown. They can slowly change from green to brown, but the dark eyeline remains consistent.

Taxonomy: Order Frogs and Toads (Anura); Family Treefrogs (Hylidae). Formerly Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla), then Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla), and Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca) after it was split from the Northern Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla). Much scientific work remains to be done to sort out the taxonomy of these little frogs, but the recent taxonomic work has been rejected, and the three species are now reunited as a single species pending further study.

Around Las Vegas, we have what was considered the northern subspecies of the Baja Treefrog: Northern Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca hypochondriaca), which may, itself, be a distinct species, but again, this frog is now reunited as a single species with the other treefrogs pending further study.

Technical Description: Body size small (1 to 1-1/2 inches). Toe tips with expanded toepads. Face with dark stripe through the eye. Dorsal coloration in two phases: all green or brown with darker blotches, but they can change from green to dark phases. In dark individuals, often a dark triangular or Y-shaped mark on the top of the head. Ventral surface cream. Hind legs with yellow. In males, throat gray.

Diet: Mostly flying insects.

Habitat: Wet areas, including streams, ponds, and marshes. Usually found near the ground, in and around emergent vegetation.

Range: Death Valley and Las Vegas areas south to Baja California, from the Pacific coast east to near the east edge of Nevada.

Breeding: Breeds winter to mid-summer, depending on location.

Similar Species: There are no other tree frogs (small frogs) in southern Nevada.

Comments:

Froglet. Notice the four fully developed legs, including toepads and the complete tail. As it grows, this froglet will absorb its tail, using the nutrients and tissue as it grows. This little froglet was captured on what might have been its first attempt to leave the water; hopefully it learned from the incident.