The bullfrog as state amphibian?

The bullfrog's resonant croak echoes across North Carolina ponds all summer.

Now its admirers are raising their voices at the General Assembly, asking lawmakers to make the king of frogs the state amphibian. A fourth-grade class at Pines Elementary in Plymouth wants the bullfrog to join the long list of officially sanctioned symbols, which range from the sweet potato to the Eastern box turtle to milk.

But the state Herpetological Society has jumped in, suggesting other amphibians would be a better symbol. They consider the bullfrog a tad common -- especially for a state that boasts some of the nation's most diverse amphibian populations.

Caught between schoolchildren and scientists, lawmakers must once again navigate the treacherous currents of symbolic politics. The bill has passed the House and is pending in a Senate committee.

Joyce Baker, a teacher at Pines Elementary, said her students recommended the bullfrog because it's easily recognizable and lives in all parts of the state.

"Tar Heels got their nickname because they are steadfast and outspoken, and so are bullfrogs," Baker said. "So it seemed like a real fitting thing to do."

Alvin Braswell, curator for amphibians and reptiles at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, said the bullfrog is not unique to North Carolina and carries a fungus that is wiping out other amphibians. While connoisseurs of frog legs like its limbs, others consider the bullfrog a pest -- even a little greedy.

"It is a big frog, grows rapidly, is highly vocal, doesn't live long and eats anything they can stuff in their mouth," Braswell said.

In a letter, the N.C. Herpetological Society, whose membership includes researchers, breeders and enthusiasts of the slimy set, said there were more creative and original choices than the bullfrog. Besides, it noted, three states -- Missouri, Iowa and Oklahoma -- have already picked the bullfrog.

The herp society offers ample amphibian alternatives that North Carolina could claim as its own:

* The Neuse River waterdog, a salamander found only in the Neuse and Tar River basins;

* The Carolina gopher frog, which has a mottled brownish skin with black spots and is unique to the Sandhills and Coastal Plain;

* The Yonahlossee salamander, a handsome brick-red colored creature first discovered in this state;

* The Eastern hellbender, which can grow to 30 inches and has a healthy population here;

* The marbled salamander, a chunky, black-and-white salamander found over most of the state.

Still, Braswell applauded the students' interest in amphibians. He said consideration of a state amphibian offers a chance to note that the state has 30 species of frogs and 60 species of salamanders. That abundance is rivaled only by neighboring Georgia.

"We're really noted for our diversity of salamanders," Braswell said. "If we are going to be naming a state amphibian, we should highlight some of these things."

The Herpetological Society in the late 1970s had a hand in promoting the Eastern box turtle as the state reptile. But so far, its recommendations for state amphibian haven't risen above the croaking.

Rep. Tim Spear, a Democrat from Washington County who introduced the bill on behalf of the students, said many of the species recommended by the Herpetological Society are limited to only part of the state.

"Everyone has seen or heard a bullfrog," Spear said. "I don't think I have ever seen any of those on that list. If I have, I didn't know enough to recognize it by its proper name. The bullfrog -- it's easy for everyone to identify."

Lawmakers in the state House overwhelmingly embraced the idea of making the bullfrog the state symbol. Its fate remains unclear in the Senate.

Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat and chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, where the bill resides, said the Neuse River waterdog had a nice ring to it. But he recognized he was in politically treacherous waters after the state fruit fiasco a few years ago.

When a group of students from Goldsboro offered the strawberry as the state fruit in 2001, it attracted unexpected opposition from the blueberry lobby and scuppernong grape supporters. The eventual compromise bill contained a veritable fruit salad of symbols: the strawberry as the state red berry, the blueberry as the state blue berry and the scuppernong grape as the fruit.

"I'm certainly not willing to take on any controversy concerning amphibians or their varied supporters," Rand said. "This will require ongoing investigation, and we may have to take several trips to look at the various species before arriving at a solution."