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The Plains Leopard Frog is the rarest of our 23 Kentucky frogs. First discovered in the state in 2011, its entire known range in the state lies in the Lower Hickman Bottoms of western Fulton County.
Plains Leopard Frogs are tan, gray, or light brown, marked with numerous small rounded spots on the body. The tympanum has a distinct white dot like that of a Southern Leopard Frog. Still, two distinctive features are (a) a central dark spot on the snout in front of the eyes, and (b) each dorsolateral fold has a noticeable gap near the hind legs with the rear segment on each side set inward toward the center of the back. Plains Leopard Frogs live mostly in grassy or weedy areas, crop fields, and along forest edges. Like all leopard frogs, they are excellent leapers and hard to catch.
Plains and Southern Leopard Frogs occur together in western Fulton County, and several hybrids between the two have been found. Calling has been heard in March and April. The voice is a series of evenly spaced chucking sounds - it vaguely resembles a slowed-down version of the call of a Southern Leopard Frog.