Mink Frog - Rana septentrionalis

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ranidae
Genus: Rana

Description

The mink frog is 2-3 inches in length. It is olive green to brown and has dark blotches and spots on its body. It has creamy white to yellow undersides and and its lips are usually bright green. It has large tympanum on the side of its head. The tympanum is a circular external eardrum. In males, the tympanum is larger than the bullfrog's eye. In female's it is the same size or smaller than the bullfrog's eyes. It has webbed rear feet.

Range

Range The mink frog is found in northern New England and New York and in Northern Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It is also found in Canada from Nova Scotia west to Manitoba.

Habitat

The mink frog is found at the edges of ponds, bogs, and lakes with cool water and emergent vegetation or peaty bottoms. It spends most of its time in the water and is especially fond of lily pads.

Diet

The mink frog eats aquatic insects, snails, spiders, and other invertebrates. The mink frog tadpole eats algae and plant matter.

Life Cycle

Breeding s.aspn runs from May through August. Males float in the water and call to the females. The female lays a mass of 500-4,000 eggs in deep water. The male fertilizes the eggs after the female lays them. The tadpoles become frogs in about a year.

Behavior

The mink frog gets its name from the musky mink-like odor it produces when it is picked up or disturbed by a predator. Some people compare the smell to rotting onions.