Pseudacris crucifer Classifications
Domain: Eukarya
The spring peeper is in the domain Eukarya because the cells contain a nucleus, and it has membrane bound organelles.
Kingdom: Animalia
The spring peeper is in the kingdom Animalia because it is multicellular and heterotrophic.
Phylum: Chordata
The spring peeper is in the phylum Chordata because it has at one point in its life a notocord, dorsal nerve chord, post-anal tail, and pharyngeal gill slits.
Class: Amphibia
The spring peeper is in the class Amphibia because it goes through metamorphosis. It is ectothermic, and it is both a gill and lung breather.
Order: Anura
The spring peeper is in the order Anura because it does not have a tail when it is an adult. It also has a shortened vertebrae column and longer hindlimbs compared to forblimbs. The ulna and radius are fused as is the tibia and fibula. The fusing of those bones aids in jumping.
Family: Hylidiae
The spring peeper is in the family Hylidiae because it has claw shaped feet with toe pads. The skull bone is connected to the lower layer (the dermis) of the skin. It also has short webbed toes and an extra piece of cartilage in the toes. It also has horizontal pupils.
Genus: Pseudacris
The spring peeper is in the genus Pseudacris because it is a chorus frog.
Species: Pseudacris crucifer
The spring peeper is in the species crucifier because crucifier means "cross-bearing", and the spring peeper had a distinct cross on its under side.
Take a look at two phylogenetic trees of the spring peeper from amphibian down to pseudacris and a tree from anura to hylida.
