The Florida Gopher Frog (Rana capito aesopus) is a member of Ranidae a.k.a. True Frogs.

The gopher frog is squat with a black-spotted, brown-ridged dusky gray back and bronze ridges along the sides of the back. They have a creamy underside. It is 4" long. Its call sounds like a resonating snore, and can be heard for a mile or more.

Habitat: Found in dry wooded habitats throughout Florida. It prefers to live in Gopher Tortoise burrows, where it spends the day, emerging at night to hunt insects. Gopher frogs will also use crawfish and rodent burrows. This use of other species' homes is sometimes called inquiline or commensal behavior.

It breeds in the winter and spring. Eggs are laid in ponds and cypress heads, attached to emergent vegetation. The eggs hatch in 2-3 days. Tadpoles become adults in about 100 days.

Florida lists the gopher frog as a species of Special Concern.