The Plains Leopard Frog (Rana blairi) It is sometimes referred to as Blair's Leopard Frog, named after the noted zoologist

Zoology

Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...

 and University of Texas professor, Dr. W. Frank Blair.

Description

The Plains Leopard Frog grows from 2 to 4.3 inches in length, and is typically brown in color. Their common name originates from the distinctive irregular, dark colored spotting on their back. They have long, powerful legs and are capable of leaping great distances.

Behavior

Although found throughout semi-arid regions, the Plains Leopard Frog is almost always found in or very near permanent water sources, such as streams, creeks, and ponds. They are nocturnal

Nocturnal animal

Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal"....

, and primarily insectivorous

Insectivore

An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....

, though they will eat almost anything they can overpower and swallow, including other frogs. They are shy animals, often fleeing beneath the water if approached.

Geographic distribution

The Plains Leopard Frog, as its name implies, is found throughout the Great Plains

Great Plains

The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...

 of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, from Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

 west across central and southern plains to South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

, south to Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

, New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

, and Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, with a disjunct population in Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

.

Conservation status

The Plains Leopard Frog is fairly common throughout its range, and holds no special conservation status, except in the state of Indiana, where it is a species of concern. This is probably because of the use of fertilizers and pesticides in farms located near this frog's habitats.