What distinguishes the juvenile Wood Frog's facial mask from that of a mature adult?
Answer
Juveniles may lack the fully developed, jet-black intensity of the mask
When observing younger Wood Frogs, particularly juveniles, a key discrepancy in identification compared to mature adults relates to the mask stripe. While adults typically display a distinct, jet-black mask, juveniles often exhibit a mask that is less intense or only a faint smudge of dark pigmentation where the characteristic stripe should be located. Identification in younger specimens should therefore rely more heavily on confirming the presence of the dorsolateral folds and general body coloration before confirming the specimen.
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