Oregon Spotted Frog
Rana pretiosa
A medium-sized aquatic frog averaging 2-4 inches in body length. It has a short, oval snout and bulging, upturned eyes set close together on the head. It has moderately p…
How to identify
A medium-sized aquatic frog averaging 2-4 inches in body length. It has a short, oval snout and bulging, upturned eyes set close together on the head. It has moderately prominent dorsolateral skin folds and mildly bumpy skin. Its hind toes are completely webbed. Juveniles start out dull brown or olive with black blotches on their dorsal surfaces. With age, they develop reddish coloration on their sides, and eventually become completely brick red with larger black blotches. Red adults also tend to have a light lateral stripe above the upper lip.
Range
Various patches of range throughout western Washington and Oregon, northeastern California, and southwestern British Columbia.
Habitat
This frog is highly aquatic and rarely travels far from water. It can be found in wetlands, lakes, or slow-moving streams. It prefers bodies of water with shallow areas and plentiful emergent debris and vegetation mats for basking and hiding.
Variations
Color varies by the age of the frog. Juveniles are brown and mature adults are red.
Similar species
Most often mistaken for the northern red-legged frog (*Rana aurora*), or the Columbia spotted frog (*Rana luteiventris*).
Name and etymology
Pretiosa: Latin for precious.
More illustrations
At a glance
Range
Various patches of range throughout western Washington and Oregon, northeastern California, and southwestern British Columbia…
Habitat
This frog is highly aquatic and rarely travels far from water. It can be found in wetlands, lakes, or slow-moving streams. It…
Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap