Cope's Gray Treefrog (Frogs and Toads of Virginia)

Cope's Gray Treefrog

Hyla chrysoscelis

Summary ⁵

The Cope's Grey Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) is a species of tree frog which is found in the United States. It is almost indistinguishable from the Grey Tree Frog, Hyla versicolor, and shares much of its geographic range. Both species are variable in color, mottled gray to gray-green, resembling the bark of trees. These are tree frogs of woodland habitats, though they will sometimes travel into more open areas to reach a breeding pond. The only...

Description ⁶

Hyla chrysoscelis is often confused with Hyla versicolor. The two species are actually identical except in distribution, call, and chromosomal count. H. chrysoscelis is diploid (N=2), where as H. versicolor is tetraploid, (N=4).

H. chrysoscelis is a relatively large treefrog that is usually gray or green in color. The exact coloration is determined by the activities and environment of individuals and can therefore vary within the species. All individuals, however, have bright orange or yellow bits of color spotted with black along their hind legs (Conant and Collins 1998).