*The colored areas of the map above represent parishes with currently known records for the given species (Source: Jeff Boundy, LA Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries). By no means does it represent the full range of the species in the state, nor does it necessarily mean that a species can be found throughout the parish with the record. This is provided as a guide to where you might be able to find these species in the state and to aid in identification. A descriptive explanation of the range of each species can be found in the text below.
Other Common Names:
Subspecies: The Southern Crawfish Frog, Lithobates areolatus areolatus, is likely responsible for all records in Louisiana, but some sources show the Northern Crawfish Frog, Lithobates areolatus circulosus, ranging into the extreme northeast corner of the state, though no published records have been documented from those parishes.
Description:
Similar Species:
Species Range: Western Indiana south through western Kentucky and western Tennessee, and into northern Mississippi, west to much of western Louisiana into east Texas, north through eastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, east into parts of Missouri, extreme south-central Iowa, and much of southern Illinois. Absent from much of the Ozark Plateau and Mississippi River floodplain.
Louisiana Range: West-central Louisiana, with disjunct records from both northwestern and northeastern Louisiana.
Habitat:
Natural History:
Call:
Best Time and Place to Observe:
Global Conservation Status: Crawfish Frogs have a relatively wide distribution in the south-central and midwestern United States, but are probably in significant decline due to significant habitat loss throughout its range, and thus, are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List, and are close to qualifying as Vulnerable. Their NatureServe Global Conservation Status Rank is G4 (Apparently Secure).
Federal Conservation Status: None
Louisiana Conservation Status: Crawfish Frogs have a ranking of S1 (critically imperiled because of extreme rarity – 5 or fewer known extant populations) in Louisiana.
*** If you live in the range of this species in Louisiana and believe you may have observed or heard this species please let me know (take a picture or audio recording if possible), as there may be more unknown populations in the state.***
Author's Remarks: I have never found this species anywhere in its range.
