There are around 44 different types of frogs in Texas, and this is because of the state’s varied ecosystem, which supports these frogs’ survival.
However, the population of some species has been decreasing, and the contamination of their natural habitat puts other species at risk of going extinct.
Let us quickly dive into 25 unique types of frogs in Texas and their characteristics.
1. Mexican White-lipped Frog
The Mexican White-lipped Frog is a small, dark amphibian that can range in color from olive green to black. It has a white rim around its mouth.
They are found throughout Mexico and Central America and have a white stripe along the top of their upper lip. v
The Rio Grande Valley is where you will find these frogs in Texas.
2. Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
One of the smallest frog species in Texas is the Blanchard’s Cricket Frog.
They generally reside in areas close to bodies of water, and their bodies are a light brown color with dark markings.
These frogs are notoriously difficult to find because they conceal themselves among the surrounding plants.
They use a high-pitched chirp to attract mates, and their diet consists of insects.
3. Spring Peeper
The Spring Peeper is a little frog that measures approximately 1 inch long and has a green body with brown markings.
They are widespread over Texas, although the eastern portion of the state is where one is most likely to come across them.
The Spring Peeper is a species of bird that inhabits areas close to ponds and streams.
During the winter, these birds spend their time dormant beneath logs or in the mud at the bottom of ponds.
They have a high-pitched trill serving as their mating call and feed on insects.
4. Squirrel Tree Frog
The squirrel tree frog is a species native to Texas and is identifiable by its small size and pale coloring.
Their name comes from the fact that they frequently make their homes in trees, where they feast on many kinds of insects.
In general, squirrel tree frogs are reclusive and difficult to see, but one may occasionally come across one near the water’s edge of ponds or streams.
5. Green Tree Frog
The American Green Tree Frog is a diminutive species of green frog with a white stripe that runs along the side of its head.
You can find it in other southern states in addition to Texas.
6. Gray Tree Frog
The Gray Tree Frog is found in various places in the United States. This frog is quite tiny and green in color.
They can appear in a gray or light green tint, with a white stripe running down the middle of their back.
They consume insects as their primary food source and make their homes in trees and other high areas.
7. Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
The Cope’s Gray Tree Frog is a tree frog that can range in color from light green to gray and is rather small and slender.
They have a dark band that extends from the tip of their snout to the corner of the rear of their eyes, and their bellies are white.
These frogs in Texas prefer to live in forested environments close to water bodies.
8. Mexican Smilisca
A species of frog known as the Mexican Smilisca inhabits Mexico and Texas.
They can be either green or brown, and their skin is smooth.
9. Sheep Frog
The sheep frog is a species native to Texas characterized by its small size and pale coloring.
These types of frogs in Texas have smooth skin and pointy snouts, and it is typically quite difficult to spot them because of the camouflage they wear.
Sheep Frogs live in damp locations near water sources like ponds and streams.
Their diet consists of various insects and other tiny invertebrates.
10. Southern Leopard Frog
The Southern Leopard Frog is a huge species of frog that is easily identifiable due to the spots that cover its body.
This amphibian species may be found all over Texas, and its preferred habitats include ponds, marshes, and other damp regions.
The Southern Leopard Frog is a carnivore that consumes other animals, including small fish, insects, and even other species of frogs.
11. Rio Grande Leopard Frog
A frog species called the Rio Grande Leopard Frog lives in the south-central and southern parts of the United States.
It is a fairly large frog, reaching a length of about 7 centimeters when fully grown (2.8 in).
The dorsal surface is either green or olive, with many dark dots or blotches.
12. Plains Leopard Frog
The Plains Leopard Frog is a species of frog that is about the size of a bullfrog and has a back that is greenish brown and white underneath.
The Plains Leopard Frog inhabits the eastern part of Texas, from the Red River to the Rio Grande.
Open environments near bodies of water, such as prairies, pastures, and agricultural land, are natural habitats for these types of frogs in Texas.
13. American Bullfrog
The American Bullfrog is a huge frog that is green in color and may be found all over the state of Texas.
Because of their size and the fact that they frequently congregate around bodies of water, they are typically very simple to locate.
The American Bullfrog inhabits ponds, lakes, and other types of bodies of water throughout its range.
Evidence shows that one can also find these types of frogs in Texas in wetland environments.
14. Pig Frog
The Pig Frog or Lithobates grylio is a species of frog that may be found all over Texas.
They may generally be found near ponds and other bodies of water.
These frogs have a bluish-green body with dark markings. They can reach a length of up to six inches and a potential lifespan of up to five years.
15. Pickerel Frog
The Pickerel Frog is a species of frog that is typically green or brown in color and measures between one and two inches in length.
They are widespread over the state of Texas and have dark patches that are visible on their backs.
They have flawless skin, and their eyes are set further than average.
Pickerel Frogs are found in areas close to bodies of water and can be spotted swimming or perched on logs or rocks.
16. Mexican Burrowing Frog
The Mexican Burrowing Frog is a dark brown frog that dwells in sandy soils in Texas and Mexico.
They spend most of their time underground, and they have a lifestyle that is well-suited to that environment.
Because of their small eyes and sharp snouts, they can dig through the sand quite quickly.
These types of frogs in Texas are most active at night.
17. Mexican Spadefoot Frog
The Mexican spadefoot toad is a brown amphibian that can grow between 2.5 and 4 inches long.
In addition, it is a very small toad with a stocky body and a large head with eyes that stick out in front of it.
Swimming requires the development of webbed toes, enlargement, and flattening of the hind feet into paddle-like structures.
18. Plains Spadefoot Toad
The Plains Spadefoot Toad is a tiny frog found in Texas. It got its name from the spade-like projection on its hind feet.
These toads are often a color that is between light brown and gray, and they have spots or stripes of a darker color running along their backs.
They mainly inhabit the vicinity of ponds and other bodies of water.
19. Rio Grande Chirping Frog
The Rio Grande Chirping Frog is a species exclusive to Texas. This frog is small and green in color.
They measure around 2 inches in length and have a dark stripe that runs down the center of their back.
These bullfrogs can be located up to 100 feet away because of their distinctive noise, which is how they got their name.
They make their home close to bodies of water and are most active at night.
20. Barking Frog
The Barking Frog is a little frog that is dark in color and has a white stripe running down its back.
You can find these frogs in the eastern region of Texas.
It is because of the high-pitched mating cry that the frog emits during the spring and summer months that it earned them their name.
21. Cajun Chorus Frog
The prairies and grasslands of Texas are home to a type of little frog known as the Cajun chorus frog.
You may find the Cajun chorus frog all across the southern states of the United States.
It has a light brown body with three darker brown stripes or spots running across its back.
They do this by hanging out at the edges of bodies of water and making a high-pitched call that imitates the sound of a comb being pulled out.
Their neck swells up when they call, which often happens at a pace of 20 calls per minute.
The Cajun chorus frog gets its nutrition from insects like flies, beetles, and ants.
22. Balcones Barking Frog
The Balcones barking frog, also called the eastern barking frog, is a subspecies of the common barking frog that lives in western and central Texas.
It resembles a toad in appearance thanks to its broad head, short hind legs, and short front legs.
The mating call of a male Balcones barking frog can be mistaken for the sound of a dog when heard from a distance, but when heard up close, it sounds more like a guttural, low-humming murmur.
23. Cliff Chirping Frog
Numerous cliff-chirping frogs inhabit rocky areas that are rich in limestone.
They reside in the middle and southern parts of Texas, and the night is when they are the most active.
Compared to other species of frogs, the cliff-chirping frog is a more miniature variety with a flatter skull and a greater distance between its eyes.
In appearance, they are quite similar to the spotted chirping frogs that are native to the Big Bend region.
In contrast to the vast majority of frogs endemic to Texas, cliff-chirping frogs prefer to spawn on land in areas with moist soil due to recent rainfall.
24. Crawfish Frog
Crawfish frogs live in the grassland and prairie environments of eastern Texas. These areas include meadows and pastures.
They stay occupied above ground during the day but don’t stray too far from their burrow at night.
On its body, which is pale green to light gray, the crawfish frog displays circular patterns that are either dark brown or black.
They have a short muzzle but have the potential to become very large, reaching a length of three inches.
Their name comes from the fact that they spend most of the year living in the caves of crawfish.
These frogs in Texas lay their eggs in fish-free waters, subsisting on spiders and very small crayfish for food.
25. Eastern Narrow-mouthed Frog
The Eastern Narrow-mouthed Frog is a brown frog with a white stripe running down the middle of its back.
Its habitat is in the eastern part of Texas, and you can find it near bodies of water like ponds and streams.
This frog is primarily active at night; you can find it hiding in caves or beneath rocks during the day.
