Dusky Gopher Frog- Michael Cipolletti

Rana Sevosa

Dusky Gopher Frog

Michael Cipolletti

BIO 227

Photo John Tupy

Description and Ecology

The dusky gopher frog, formally known as the Rana Sevosa, is native to the United States and at one time populated regions of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This frog species has a stubby appearance due to its short, plump body, comparatively large head, and small legs. The coloration of its back varies between individual frogs. It ranges from black, to a pattern of reddish or dark brown spots with dark gray or brown warts densely covering the back. Additionally, their belly is thickly covered with dark spots and markings from chin to mid-body. The dusky gopher frog is also known for having a call that sounds similar to snoring.   Unfortunately since experiencing drastic habitat loss and other negative factors the gopher frogs’ total population was down about to 200 individuals. Due to this species decline many conservationists took action to save them from extinction.

Geographic and Population Changes

Map (ecos.fws.gov)

The range of the dusky gopher frog includes those parts of the lower coastal plain extending from southeastern Louisiana across the southern Mississippi coastal counties, to the Mobile River delta in Alabama.   Since the dusky gopher frog was listed as an endangered species in 2001, three

naturally-occurring populations supported by four breeding ponds have been documented. The four ponds are Glen’s Pond, Pony Ranch Pond, Mike’s Pond, and McCoy’s Pond.  A fourth population, breeding at TNC Pond 1, has been established through translocation of Glen’s Pond frogs. The Glen’s Pond population, supported by the Glen’s Pond and Pony Ranch Pond breeding sites, is the only population that is considered stable at this time.

Map (USFWS 2012)

A total of 6,477 acres are designated within two states, including Louisiana’s St. Tammany Parish and Mississippi’s Forrest, Harrison, Jackson, and Perry counties.

Of the total acreage designated, 3,501 acres are in federal ownership, 264 are on state property, and 2,711 acres are privately owned. About half of the lands in the critical habitat designation are part of the DeSoto National Forest. Occupied habitat and unoccupied habitat are essential for the conservation of the dusky gopher frog and, as such, both are designated as critical habitat.

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The Rana Sevosa was listed on the Endangered Species Act, listed wherever found on December 4^th, 2001.

Cause of listing and Main threats to existence

 

Road built through Dusky Gopher Frog Habitat.(Mississippi GIS coordinating Council) 

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) listed the dusky gopher frog as endangered primarily due to threats of habitat loss and degradation, and small population size. This loss of habitat is the main factor affecting these frogs, specifically loss of fishless ephemeral wetlands and native longleaf piene forests. Development, urban sprawl and fire suppression have contributed to the decline of the longleaf pine forest, which once covered some 90 million acres in the South, from Virginia to Texas. Today, less than 5 percent of old-growth longleaf pine forest remains, causing the Dusky Gopher Frog and other species like the gopher tortoise- which the frog relies on for underground burrows to drastically decline.  Another factor that caused a large loss for this species is disease. A lethal disease killed most gopher frog tadpoles at the Glen’s Pond site in 2003. Due to the small population size and the increasing habitat loss, conservationists decided it was time to aid this dwindling species. 

Recovery Plan

The recovery strategy for the dusky gopher frog is focused preventing extinction and further down-listing the species from endangered to threatened. In order to achieve this objective the recovery plan will consist of:

a)    Maintaining and enhancing existing populations on tracts of public and private land

b)    Monitoring the status of existing populations;

c)    Identifying and securing additional dusky gopher frog populations and habitat

d)   Establishing new populations through translocations or reintroductions

e)     Supporting research that guides land management and provides demographic and ecological data.

f)     Habitat management, such as, minimizing soil disturbance and loss of native groundcover vegetation, maintaining open-canopied, grassy wetlands, and restoring degraded upland habitat.

In addition, management plans should specifically address habitat modifications necessary to improve and maintain the appropriate habitat.

What can you do?

Photo John Tupy
With a total population estimated at around 250 individuals the Dusky Gopher Frog needs your help. Thanks to many conservationist efforts funding to help this species is already underway. There are various organizations such as, The United States Fish and Wild Life services, and TheNatureConservancy.org, which actively work with the government and raise funding to provide habitats for this endangered species. You can go to TheNatureConservancy.org to get involved. Another way to help out would be to contact a Senator or Representative in the state of Mississippi or Louisiana and show them the public cares. The future looks brighter for the Dusky Gopher Frog that was on the verge of extinction and with the public aware of the problem we will be able to save the species.

Sources

“Dusky Gopher Frog.” Dusky Gopher Frog Profile | The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/mississippi/explore/dusky-gopher-frog-profile.xml.

Dusky Gopher Frog Recovery Plan. ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/2015_07_16_.

11, 2012 June. “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Critical Habitat Designation for Dusky Gopher Frog.” U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2012/06/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-announces-critical-habitat-designation-for-dusky-gopher-frog/.

Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Species Profile for Dusky Gopher Frog (Rana Sevosa), ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=D031.