Distinguishing the Treefrogs "Hyla versicolor" and "Hyla chrysoscelis" in Iowa, and Their Distributions
type: CreativeWork
description: Historically, the tetraploid and diploid species pair of treefrogs, "Hyla versicolor" and "Hyla chrysoscelis" have been mapped collectively in Iowa because no distinguishing macroscopic morphological characteristics useful in recognizing the two species had been found. The present study reports identification and separation of the species by counts of stained nucleoli and measurement of scanning electron micrographs of toepad projections. The resulting distribution correlates with spot checks of call analysis. Subsequent morphometric data confirm that the two species represent two distinct populations in Iowa. "H. chrysoscelis" is distributed sporadically through the southwestern half of Iowa while "H. versicolor" is limited to the southeastern half of the state. This study suggests a decline of these species in extreme northern Iowa.
abstract: Historically, the tetraploid and diploid species pair of treefrogs, "Hyla versicolor" and "Hyla chrysoscelis" have been mapped collectively in Iowa because no distinguishing macroscopic morphological characteristics useful in recognizing the two species had been found. The present study reports identification and separation of the species by counts of stained nucleoli and measurement of scanning electron micrographs of toepad projections. The resulting distribution correlates with spot checks of call analysis. Subsequent morphometric data confirm that the two species represent two distinct populations in Iowa. "H. chrysoscelis" is distributed sporadically through the southwestern half of Iowa while "H. versicolor" is limited to the southeastern half of the state. This study suggests a decline of these species in extreme northern Iowa.
author: Oberfoell, Catherine E.C.
language: en_US
keywords: Hyla versicolor., Hyla chrysoscelis., Frogs--Iowa.
date published: 1997-05
date modified: 2026-07-27T19:19:47Z
provider: Drake University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Drake University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2092/338