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Missouri designated the North American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus, formerly Rana catesbeiana) as the official state amphibian in 2005. The bullfrog is the largest frog native to North America and found in every county of Missouri. A fourth grade class at Chinn Elementary School in Kansas City came up with the idea to make the bullfrog a state symbol of Missouri.
North American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), Photograph taken by Carl D. Howe, from English Wikipedia
The voice of the male bullfrog, used to attract females, is a vibrant series of bass notes with a distinctive sound best described as "jog-o-rum." The loud, guttural bellow carries a long distance, giving the impression of a much larger creature, which is an advantage in keeping predators away. The bull frog has large talons and is an opportunistic predator eating anything it can swallow including beetles and other insects, small turtles, snakes, birds, worms, crustaceans, tadpoles, and frogs (including other bullfrogs).
Bullfrog coloring varies - they are generally varying shades of green or brown, with dark brown, dark green, or black blotching and a yellow or white underside. Females are usually larger than males.
Bullfrogs are present year-round (burrowing into the mud beneath the water to hibernate in winter). The versatile and prolific bullfrog is an integral part of the ecology of Missouri and represents the importance of all species of amphibians to the environment and the state.
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