Most field-based life-history studies of amphibians only monitor the first occurrence of major life stages, missing important details of the intervening periods. To help fill this gap, we surveyed the larval growth of Lithobates sphenocephalus (Southern Leopard Frog) at a breeding site in Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, LA. We repeatedly sampled an ephemeral pool for Southern Leopard Frog tadpoles shortly after oviposition through metamorphosis. We first observed eggs on 21 January 2016. From 29 January 2016 through the following 99–117 d, tadpoles grew an average of 0.163 mm/day in body length before completing metamorphosis between 6 and 23 May. These values are similar to previous literature estimates for the Southern Leopard Frog, but provide novel information on the timing and rates of changes in size and ontogenetic stage, and their interrelationship.
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1 May 2018
Larval Life History of Lithobates sphenocephalus (Southern Leopard Frog) in Southeast Louisiana
James A. Erdmann,
Cody D. Godwin,
Martha R. Villalba-Guerra,
D. Cooper Campbell,
Jordan Donini,
C. Elyse Parker,
Ariana E.E. Rupp,
Courtney A. Weyand,
Melanie A.J. Partin,
Timothy Borgardt,
Christopher K. Beachy
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