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Amphibians
The most common amphibians in the Metro Parks:
1. Green frog
2. American toad
3. Northern dusky salamander
4. Northern two-lined salamander
5. Red-backed salamander
Green frog
Contrary to their name, these tiny frogs, which range in size from two to four inches long, can be green, bronze or brown in color. They may be easily confused with a bullfrog, except that green frogs have two ridges on their backs called dorso-lateral lines. The American bullfrog, which is not native to this area, does not.
Green frogs prefer permanent water bodies (e.g., ponds, as opposed to temporary vernal pools) with dense vegetation. They will consume anything they can fit into their mouths, including aquatic insects, crickets, birds, small snakes and fish. Often viewed at the water’s edge, green frogs make a distinct squeaking noise while jumping into the water after being disturbed from their roost. Otherwise, the call of the male green frog sounds similar to a banjo string being plucked.
American toad
The American toad is an amphibian that spends most of its time away from the water in moist woodland areas. It utilizes temporary pools for breeding and lays long strings of dark eggs in April and May. Males attract females with their calls, consisting of a long, musical trill that lasts about 30 seconds.
American toads are two to three and a half inches long, and females are generally larger than males. They eat small insects and invertebrates and are typically active from dusk until dawn. Adult toads are covered in warts and are characterized as having two or three warts in each dark spot on their dorsal side. Their bellies are never spotted. Their base color is often tan, but can also be bronze or olive colored.
Northern dusky salamander
The northern dusky salamander is stout and highly variable in color. The dorsal surface is marked with a yellowish-brown stripe from head to toe with dark spots usually found on either side of the stripe. The belly is often white or grey with dark mottling.
This salamander lives at the edges of rocky streams or spring seepages. They prefer woodland areas and spend most of their time under flat rocks or logs near the water's edge.
Northern two-lined salamander
The northern two-lined salamander is small and slender with small legs. A broad yellow stripe extends from the back of its head to its tail and is bordered by irregular black lines. Adults are two and a half to four and a half inches long.
Two-lined salamanders live close to water in woodlands or open areas and can be under rocks, logs or leaf mats. They breed in the fall, and females lay eggs in spring under submerged rocks or vegetation, guarding them until they hatch. Since the species is highly sensitive to pollution, breeding populations are considered by the Ohio EPA to be indicators of high-quality streams.
Red-backed salamander
One of the smallest woodland creatures in Ohio, the red-backed salamander is an abundant, yet relatively unnoticed, part of our woodland ecosystem. It is a small, slender salamander than is completely terrestrial. It lives in moist, rocky woodland areas, but does not need to live or reproduce in or near a body of water.
Females lay eggs under moist logs or rocks and will aggressively defend them until they hatch. The species has two color phases: the red-back phase, which includes a red stripe from the base of the head to the tail, and a lead phase in which it is uniformly dark.
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