Mink Frog

§ Quick facts

§ Encyclopedia

The mink frog is a small species of frog native to the United States and Canada. They are so named for their scent, which reportedly smells like a mink. The scent is more akin to that of rotting onions to those unfamiliar with mink. It is also sometimes referred to as the north frog.

Source: Wikipedia — Mink frog · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Medium-sized brown frog with smooth skin, dark green or brown back with darker spots; pale yellow-green belly; prominent dorsolateral ridges.

Similar species. Green Frog (similar; smaller; range overlap). Bullfrog (much larger). Wood Frog (no spots; dark face mask).

Voice. Distinctive "tok-tok-tok" call sounds like wooden mallets striking together.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Insects (especially aquatic insects), spiders, snails, small fish, smaller frogs.

Behavior. Northernmost-ranging "true frog" (genus Lithobates) in North America. Common name "mink" refers to the strong musky odor produced when handled — similar to the scent of mink and other mustelids. Largely aquatic — rarely leaves the immediate vicinity of permanent water bodies. Cold-tolerant; breeds late in the spring (June in northern range) when water has warmed sufficiently. Populations declining in some areas due to wetland loss and climate change.

§ Range

Boreal Canada, northern US

§ Habitat

Cold ponds, marshes

§ Threats

Climate-driven warming, wetland loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the mink frog is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Support boreal pond conservation. Don't move frogs between waterways.

§ Further reading

• Wikipedia — Mink frog
• www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Lithobates septentrionalis
• IUCN Red List · taxon 58662
• iNaturalist · taxon 66355
• GBIF occurrence records
• Encyclopedia of Life — Lithobates septentrionalis

§ Sources cited

• AmphibiaWeb
• USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
• iNaturalist
• IUCN Red List 2014