California Red-legged Frog
Rana draytonii
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/7ds.jpg)
Description
Distribution Range
General range map taken from CWHR.
Museum records taken from following institution: CAS Herps.
Thought to currently be extinct in Shasta County. Very few museum records exist. One exists from Redding in 1911, two exist from Manzanita Creek in Lassen National Park in the 1960s but I highly suspect they are mis-identified.
Formerly this species probably ranged in the foothills around the lower Sacramento River valley, possibly including all parts of the valley in Shasta County itself. Maximum altitude is uncertain, but I would be surprised if they made it beyond 3,000 feet this far north in their historic range.
Typical Elevation
We do not yet have enough records from distinct localities to calculate typical elevation. We need 24 more distinct localities.
Additional Information
Notes
This species is quite possibly extinct in Shasta County. Historically the California Red-legged Frog was found as far north as the Redding area, but there do not seem to be any recent sightings within Shasta County. A fairly extensive survey on the Cottonwood Creek watershed in 2006 and 2007 did not turn up a single specimen (Fellers 2007).
Images
Unless otherwise noted, all images are of wild specimens in Shasta County.
Please be kind, do not hotlink images and do not use images without permission of the copyright owner.
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/7sm.jpg)
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/60sm.jpg)
©Michael A. Peters
Juvenile. Notice the very prominent dorsolateral fold that distinguishes this species from American Bullfrogs and Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs. Notice the elongated snout compared to the Cascades Frog. Contra Costa County, CA.
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/83sm.jpg)
©Michael A. Peters
Underside of sister species, the Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora) demonstrating the color that gives the species it’s name. Kitsap County, WA.
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/104sm.jpg)
©Michael A. Peters
Yearling. Notice the spots do not have sharply defined edges like they typically do in the Cascades Frog. Contra Costa County, CA.
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/105sm.jpg)
©Michael A. Peters
Juvenile. Young California Red-legged Frogs do not always have the red underside to their groin and legs that give the species it’s name. The red is just beginning to come in on this specimen. Contra Costa County, CA.
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/141sm.jpg)
![[California Red-legged Frog]](/images/142sm.jpg)
Habitat Shots
Unless otherwise noted, these habitat shots are from within Shasta County where this species is known to occur.
There currently are no images to display.
Similar Species
Cascades Frog
The Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae) is a montane frog and is found at much higher elevations than the California Red-legged Frog in Shasta County. If the frog was found above 800m (2600 feet) it probably is a Cascades Frog.
The snout of the Cascades Frog is not as elongated as the California Red-legged Frog and the white jaw stripe tends to extend all the way to the shoulder.
Oregon Spotted Frog
The Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa), which is probably extinct in Shasta County, occurred in the north east corner of the county well outside the range of the California Red-legged Frog.
Foothill Yellow-legged Frog
The Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Rana boylii) does share habitat in some places with the California Red-legged Frog but generally prefers small streams with a rocky bottom, and is generally a smaller frog than the California Red-legged Frog. The dorsolateral fold is also far less prominent on the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog.
A big giveaway however is the color of the underside of the rear legs. They are red in the California Red-legged Frog and yellow in the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog. However, since neither species may be touched without a scientific permit, you probably will not be able to view the underside of the rear legs.
Species of Special Concern
This species is listed as a Species of Special Concern by the State of California Department of Fish & Game.
If you come across this species, please note that it may be a violation of state law to collect it or even touch it. Federal laws may also apply.
If you can, please do the following:
- Accurately record the location where the animal was found. The best way to do this is with a GPS device.
- Photograph the specimen. Take as many photographs as you can without causing too much stress to the animal.
- Take note of the habitat and its condition. Photographs are good for this, but do not always tell the entire story.
- Take note on any possible threats to the population. For example, if it is one of our threatened native frog species, is there an American Bullfrog population in the immediate vicinity? Are you aware of an American Bullfrog population in a nearby aquatic system? What about erosion? Introduced trout?
- Report the sighting to the California Natural Diversity Database.
It takes a little effort to file a report, but your report may help the necessary agencies protect that population. It is difficult for them to protect populations they do not know about or populations they think are extirpated. Even species of special concern that are currently doing well in Shasta County should be reported. When population declines happen, they tend to happen very fast. Reports of specific localities where a species is known to have occured may help researchers determine survey sites if our population of one of these species does crash.
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