The Pine Barrens tree frog (''Dryophytes andersonii'') is a species of

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

tree frog A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely rela ...

. It is becoming rare due to

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

Physical characteristics

''Dryophytes andersonii'', only about long, is one of the smaller species of tree frogs. Members of the species are predominantly green, with wide, dark stripes. They often have spotted, orange-gold markings on the hidden surfaces of their legs and tend to have large toe pads. The key to distinguishing the Pine Barrens tree frog from the similar-appearing

American green tree frog The American green tree frog (''Dryophytes cinereus'' or ''Hyla cinerea'') is a common arboreal species of New World tree frog belonging to the family Hylidae. This nocturnal insectivore is moderately sized and has a bright green to reddish-brow ...

(''D. cinerea'') is the white-bordered lavender stripe on each side of the body in the Pine Barrens tree frog. ''D. cinerea'' has only a white stripe in this location.

Habitat

''Dryophytes andersonii'' is most commonly found in brushy areas, often near

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

s or shallow ponds. They usually inhabit areas carpeted with thick

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta ('' sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and ...

. Adults are terrestrial, but tend to reside near water sources. Unlike most frogs, they are tolerant of low pH levels, and often lay eggs in shallow, acidic ponds. The ideal pH level for ''D. andersonii'' eggs is between 3.8 and 5.9.

Distribution

Due to the limited extent of suitable habitats, ''Dryophytes andersonii'' is currently distributed in three disjunct areas in the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern po ...

: the

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

Pine Barrens Pine barrens, pine plains, sand plains, or pineland areas occur throughout the U.S. from Florida to Maine (see Atlantic coastal pine barrens) as well as the Midwest, West, and Canada and parts of Eurasia. Perhaps the most well known pine-barre ...

; the Sandhills of

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''no ...

and

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = "Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = G ...

; and the

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

panhandle and southern

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

. Although one specimen of ''D. andersonii'' is known from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to t ...

, a population is not known to currently exist there. ''Dryophytes andersonii'' is the state frog of North Carolina.

Conservation status

''Dryophytes andersonii'' was listed as

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

by the

US Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with o ...

between 1977 and 1983, when additional populations were found in Florida. The IUCN has classified it as Near Threatened as of 1996. The Pine Barrens tree frog is currently listed as Threatened in the state of New Jersey. Bunnell, John.
The Pine Barrens Treefrog
. New Jersey Pinelands Commission, 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2021.

In popular culture

The Pine Barrens tree frog was featured in a series of prints by artist

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

. In 1983, the artist was commissioned to create a portfolio of ten endangered species to raise environmental awareness and included was ''D. andersonii.''

References

External links

Animal Diversity Web - ''Hyla andersonii'' (Pine Barrens tree frog)Pinelands Preservation Alliance - Pine Barrens tree frog photos
{{Authority control Dryophytes Pine Barrens (New Jersey) Fauna of the Eastern United States Amphibians of the United States Fauna of the Southeastern United States Amphibians described in 1854 Taxa named by Spencer Fullerton Baird Symbols of North Carolina