Brimley's Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brimleyi)

8/18/2021

Species Information

Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: .75 - 1.5 inches
Range: Randomly distributed in the southern Coastal Plain
Status: Least Concern

This is probably Virginia's most obscure frog species, but man are they pretty! This species appears to occur in small, isolated pockets in the southeast. Not much is known of this species, and it is quite secretive in nature, so mapping is very important for us to establish where they are and how their populations are doing. In my experience, the route 40 corridor in Sussex and Dinwiddie seems to boast very healthy populations. Driving through there in early march of 2024, we easily heard over a thousand individual males between twelve or more spots. They will coexist and chorus with Spring Peepers and Upland Chorus Frogs as well. It seems to me they favor large, grassy wetlands on the edge of grasslands, clearcuts, and/or forests edges, and we have noticed Woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus) and various Carax species at every site that has calling males. Though we do not see them calling in River Cane (Arundinaria gigantea), it seems when we get far enough west to lose the River Cane patches, we no longer hear the Brimley's Chorus Frogs, leading me to believe they favor that similar soil type.

These little Chorus Frogs are beautiful, and cleanly patterned. I always say they appear to be wearing one of the striped suits that barber shop quartets tend to wear, with their bold stripes down their body. They have a yellower belly than other Chorus Frogs, with freckles.

Similar species: The Upland Chorus Frog is really the only species that is very similar in appearance, but Brimley's are much cleaner, and lack the "triangle" that Uplands possess between their eyes. Other Chorus and Cricket Frogs could be mistaken for these by novice, but simple guide work can be used to sort them out.