Collinses' mountain chorus frog

{{Speciesbox

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. |year=2023 |title=Pseudacris collinsorum |volume=2023 |page=e.T200150349A200150558 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T200150349A200150558.en |access-date=15 May 2025}}

| taxon = Pseudacris collinsorum

| authority = Ospina, Tieu, Apodaca & Lemmon, 2020

}}

The Collinses' mountain chorus frog (Pseudacris collinsorum) is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to hilly regions of the southeastern United States.{{Cite web|title=Pseudacris collinsorum Ospina, Tieu, Apodaca, and Lemmon, 2020 |website=Amphibian Species of the World|url=https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/Amphibia/Anura/Hylidae/Acridinae/Pseudacris/Pseudacris-collinsorum|access-date=2021-12-08}}{{Cite web|title=Pseudacris collinsorum|url=https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Pseudacris&where-species=collinsorum|access-date=2021-12-08|website=amphibiaweb.org}}

Taxonomy

Formerly considered a population of the Appalachian mountain chorus frog (P. brachyphona), a study published in 2020 found significant genetic divergence from P. brachyphona and thus described it as a distinct species, P. collinsorum. It was named in honor of herpetologist Joseph T. Collins and his wife, wildlife photographer Suzanne L. Collins. Prior to his passing, Joseph Collins had contributed many specimens to be used in the study.{{Cite journal|last1=Ospina|first1=Oscar E.|last2=Tieu|first2=Lynee|last3=Apodaca|first3=Joseph J.|last4=Lemmon|first4=Emily Moriarty|date=December 4, 2020|title=Hidden Diversity in the Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona) and the Diagnosis of a New Species of Chorus Frog in the Southeastern United States|journal=Copeia|volume=108|issue=4|pages=778–795|doi=10.1643/CH2020009|s2cid=229424207 |issn=0045-8511|doi-access=free}}

Distribution

This species ranges from southwestern North Carolina/southeastern Tennessee, south through northern Georgia to most of Alabama aside from the north (which is occupied by brachyphona), and west to northeastern Mississippi. It inhabits elevations of between {{Convert|100 - 320|m|ft|-1}} above sea level.

Habitat

This species inhabits drier and/or more pine-dominated areas than P. brachyphona, which in contrast largely inhabits mesic habitats.

Description

This species is more variable in appearance than brachyphona; although it sometimes displays the same dorsal pattern seen in brachyphona, this pattern can sometimes be broken, or even be lacked altogether on collinsorum. In addition, its call displays a faster pulse rate than that of brachyphona.

References

Category:Chorus frogs

Category:Endemic amphibians of the United States

Category:Amphibians described in 2020