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A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California





Treefrogs in California






California Frogs and Toads:



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  Enlarged toe tips  

If the frog you want to identify has enlarged toe pads, then it is a treefrog.
Treefrogs in California are small, up to about 2 inches long.
They vary widely in coloration, so use other details to identify them.

There are two types of treefrogs in California which are easy to tell apart by the presence or absence of a dark stripe through each eye.


The Baja Caifornia Treefrog, the Northern Pacific Treefrog, and the Sierran Treefrog all used to be known as the same frog: the Pacific Treefrog, but now they are considered to be three species. Together, they occur throughout almost the entire state, and are probably the most commonly seen frogs in the California, and are certainly the most commonly heard. They all look and sound the same, so you need to look at a range map to determine which species you are looking at. These frogs come in a variety of colors and patterms, many of which are not shown here, so pay attention to details such as the size, the stripe through the eye, and the toe pads.
Baja California Treefrog - Pseudacris hypochondriaca hypochondriaca
(two color variations)
Dark stripe through eye
Northern Pacific Treefrog - Pseudacris regilla
(two color variations)


Dark stripe through eye
Sierran Treefrog - Pseudacris sierra
(two color variatios)
Dark stripe through eye
California Treefrogs are small frogs with enlarged toe tips, but they do not have a dark stripe through each eye. Their color varies, but not as much as the other treefrogs found in California, and you don't typically find them in bright green or reds. Mostly they are pale with some dark markings.
California Treefrog
Pseudacris cadaverina


No stripe through eye




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