Amphibians
Strecker's Chorus Frog
Pseudacris streckeri · also called Strecker's chorus frogs
For most of the year, Strecker’s chorus frog is nowhere to be seen, sitting buried underground somewhere beneath a Texas or Oklahoma prairie. Then a heavy rain arrives, and seemingly overnight, dozens of these stocky, dark-striped frogs surface together to call and breed in pools that may not last the week.
Overview
Strecker’s chorus frog, Pseudacris streckeri, is a burrowing amphibian native to grassland and prairie habitat across the south-central United States. Its stocky build, bold facial stripe, and explosive rain-triggered breeding set it apart from several of its chorus frog relatives.
A frog that waits for the right storm
Rather than breeding on a fixed seasonal schedule, Strecker’s chorus frog waits underground for heavy rain to trigger a sudden, coordinated emergence, timing its entire reproductive effort to a weather event rather than a calendar.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and stable across suitable habitat throughout the south-central United States.
Strecker's Chorus Frog: common questions
Why is Strecker's chorus frog underground so much of the time?
Strecker's chorus frog spends extended periods burrowed underground during dry conditions, a strategy that helps it conserve moisture and survive periods of drought, emerging mainly after significant rainfall creates the temporary pools it depends on for breeding.
How do you identify Strecker's chorus frog?
Strecker's chorus frog displays a distinctive dark stripe running across the face through the eye, combined with a notably stockier, more robust body shape compared with several other chorus frog species, features that together help distinguish it from similar-looking relatives within its range.
Why does Strecker's chorus frog breed so suddenly after rain?
Strecker's chorus frog often breeds in an explosive burst of activity triggered by heavy rainfall, with large numbers of individuals emerging together to call and breed in newly formed temporary pools, a strategy that allows the species to complete breeding before the short-lived pools dry out again.
Where does Strecker's chorus frog live?
Strecker's chorus frog is native to grassland, prairie, and open forest habitat across parts of the south-central United States, including Texas and Oklahoma, where its burrowing lifestyle helps it tolerate the region's periods of dry weather between rainfall events.