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Showing posts with label IBERIAN GREEN FROG (Pelophylax perezi). Show all posts
Showing posts with label IBERIAN GREEN FROG (Pelophylax perezi). Show all posts

Tuesday, 25 September 2018

24-9-2018 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - IBERIAN GREEN FROG (Pelophylax perezi)


The Perez's frog (Pelophylax perezi), also known as Iberian waterfrog, Iberian green frog or Coruna frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to southern France, Portugal, Spain, and has been introduced to the Canary and Balearic Islands, Madeira, the United Kingdom, and the Azores. In the Iberian Peninsula it is widespread and common.

Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, sandy shores, arable land, and urban areas.


It is a big (up to 10cm of total length) anura (amphibian without a tail in adult stage). It has a long and wide head, with a rounded snout and a very visible eardrum. The hind limbs are highly developed, adapted for diving and swimming, with large inter digital membranes. The skin is smooth or slightly grainy and the colour pattern can vary a lot, from greenish tones to brown. It usually presents a clear vertebral line (which divides the back longitudinally into two symmetrical parts). The larva reaches a large size at the end of its development (up to 7 cm of total length). The body is somewhat depressed and the tail has a small caudal ridge and ends in a tip. The dorsal colouration is brownish or greenish, with irregular dark spots. The ventral area is white.

This species can be found in practically any water point, although it prefers places where water is maintained during spring and summer, where its larvae develop. Its presence is independent of the environment surrounding the water point. It is the typical inhabitant of rivers and streams, as well as channels and irrigation pools.


It is the most aquatic amphibian, with both daytime and nocturnal habits. It usually sunbaths on wetlands shores, where it is very present. Although its presence becomes more noticeable during the mating period and the warmest months, it can be active all year long. Adult frogs feed on a wide variety of invertebrates (insects, spiders, earthworms, etc.), while tadpoles consume organic algae and debris.


The reproductive period generally ranges from March to July, although it may start in January or February depending on the rainfall that occurred during the year. Males sing night and day. The females lay bubbly masses of hundreds of eggs that remain attached to the aquatic vegetation or deposits in the wetland bed. A week later, the larvae hatch and develop for about three months until the metamorphosis occurs. Baby frogs (2 to 3.5 cm long) lose their gills and acquire lungs. Most of the little frogs appear in summer, although some larvae can spend winter in permanent water points with abundant food, to reach larger sizes and delay the metamorphosis to the following year. That is why it is not difficult to observe this species’ larvae throughout the year.

Monday, 2 May 2016

2-5-2016 CASTELLONET, VALENCIA - IBERIAN GREEN FROG (Pelophylax perezi)


The Perez's frog (Pelophylax perezi), also known as Iberian waterfrog, Iberian green frog or Coruna frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to southern France, Portugal, Spain, and has been introduced to the Canary and Balearic Islands, Madeira, the United Kingdom, and the Azores. In the Iberian Peninsula it is widespread and common.

Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, sandy shores, arable land, and urban areas.


It is a big (up to 10cm of total length) anura (amphibian without a tail in adult stage). It has a long and wide head, with a rounded snout and a very visible eardrum. The hind limbs are highly developed, adapted for diving and swimming, with large inter digital membranes. The skin is smooth or slightly grainy and the colour pattern can vary a lot, from greenish tones to brown. It usually presents a clear vertebral line (which divides the back longitudinally into two symmetrical parts). The larva reaches a large size at the end of its development (up to 7 cm of total length). The body is somewhat depressed and the tail has a small caudal ridge and ends in a tip. The dorsal colouration is brownish or greenish, with irregular dark spots. The ventral area is white.

This species can be found in practically any water point, although it prefers places where water is maintained during spring and summer, where its larvae develop. Its presence is independent of the environment surrounding the water point. It is the typical inhabitant of rivers and streams, as well as channels and irrigation pools.


It is the most aquatic amphibian, with both daytime and nocturnal habits. It usually sunbaths on wetlands shores, where it is very present. Although its presence becomes more noticeable during the mating period and the warmest months, it can be active all year long. Adult frogs feed on a wide variety of invertebrates (insects, spiders, earthworms, etc.), while tadpoles consume organic algae and debris.

The reproductive period generally ranges from March to July, although it may start in January or February depending on the rainfall that occurred during the year. Males sing night and day. The females lay bubbly masses of hundreds of eggs that remain attached to the aquatic vegetation or deposits in the wetland bed. A week later, the larvae hatch and develop for about three months until the metamorphosis occurs. Baby frogs (2 to 3.5 cm long) lose their gills and acquire lungs. Most of the little frogs appear in summer, although some larvae can spend winter in permanent water points with abundant food, to reach larger sizes and delay the metamorphosis to the following year. That is why it is not difficult to observe this species’ larvae throughout the year.

Tuesday, 19 April 2016

18-4-2016 ALMISERA, VALENCIA - IBERIAN GREEN FROG (Pelophylax perezi)


The Perez's frog (Pelophylax perezi), also known as Iberian waterfrog, Iberian green frog or Coruna frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to southern France, Portugal, Spain, and has been introduced to the Canary and Balearic Islands, Madeira, the United Kingdom, and the Azores. In the Iberian Peninsula it is widespread and common.

Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, sandy shores, arable land, and urban areas. It is not considered threatened by the IUCN.

Monday, 4 May 2015

4-5-2015 VILLALONGA TUNNELS, VALENCIA - IBERIAN GREEN FROG (Pelophylax perezi)


The Perez's frog (Pelophylax perezi), also known as Iberian waterfrog, Iberian green frog or Coruna frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to southern France, Portugal, Spain, and has been introduced to the Canary and Balearic Islands, Madeira, the United Kingdom, and the Azores. In the Iberian Peninsula it is widespread and common.

Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, sandy shores, arable land, and urban areas. It is not considered threatened by the IUCN.


A medium-sized, stout frog; snout-vent length is usually from 40 to 70 mm, but sometimes is longer than 10 cm (Docampo and Milagrosa-Vega 1988; González de la Vega 1988). The head is as long as wide, with prominent eyes located in dorsal position very close to each other. The tympanum is well marked, about 1/2 to 3/4 the eye diameter (Salvador and García-París 2001). Toes have well developed webbing. Skin is either smooth or slightly rough, with well-formed dorsolateral folds.

The dorsal coloration is very variable, usually green but also brown or grayish to dark gray. They usually show a vertebral stripe, mostly yellow or green. Two irregular rows of dark, rectangular spots are present on both sides of the vertebral stripe. These spots are also present on the rear limbs, sometimes forming a banded pattern. Some individuals lack both the spots and the vertebral stripe. Ventrally they are white with a variable number of dark spots. Males are smaller than females and have stronger forelimbs. They have gray vocal sacs than can be appreciated even when they are not in use.


Tadpoles grow up to 111 mm total length (Salvador 1985), but usually measure between 60-70 mm (Barbadillo et al. 1999). The spiracle is sinistral and the anus open on the right side of the base of the tail. Marginal papillae are absent from the upper side of the mouth. Denticles are arranged in a variable number of single rows (Llorente et al. 1994), but the most common formula is 2(2)/3(1). The dorsal fin is low, starting at the level of the spiracle. The tip of the tail is pointed. Ground coloration is green or light brown, with small, dark dots. These dots are denser and larger in the tail fin. The tail presents a typical pattern with three longitudinal dark stripes. The ventral coloration is white.