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.

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