Wildlife Wednesday – Blue Bullfrog

It’s time for another Wildlife Wednesday from your Ohio Division of Wildlife. Today is a rarity and I think super cool!

These photos were courtesy of Matt Minnich who was especially lucky to encounter a blue bullfrog recently. This rarity (some sources say it’s one in a million) occurs when the frog’s yellow pigment is missing. Remember mixing colors in school? Yellow and blue make green. Even in frogs!

Deeper dive:
This blue bullfrog frog was found in western Ohio. The frog has axanthism, a mutation that interferes with an animal’s ability to produce yellow pigment. This mutation has been discovered in 23 amphibian species, mostly in the family Ranidae, the true frogs. Ohio Department of Education

Information courtesy of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources