- Agile Frog
Taxobox
name = Agile Frog
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = down
image_width = 220px
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Amphibia
ordo =Anura
subordo=Neobatrachia
superfamilia=Ranoidea
familia =Ranidae
genus = "Rana"
species = "R. dalmatina"
binomial = "Rana dalmatina"
binomial_authority = Bonaparte, 1840Verify source|date=January 2008 The Agile Frog ("Rana dalmatina") is a frog in thegenus Rana in the family of thetrue frog s.Physical description
This species are skinny and have long limbs and a pointy snout. Adult males are rarely larger than 6.5 centimeters, while females can get up to 8 centimeters. Its ventral surface is
light brown , reddish-brown, or light greyish-brown with very little contrast. There are triangles reaching from the temple to theeardrum , which aredark brown . The underside of the Agile Frog is white without any spots. Duringmating season , the males often become dark brown. The hind legs are unusually long, which allow this species to jump further than other similar frogs - they have been known to jump up to two meters in distance. Thepupil s are horizontal. The color of the upper third of the iris (above the pupil) is lighter and gold in coloration. The tympanum is about the size of the diameter of theeye . Thegland stripes on the frogs back are not very developed and partially interrupted.Reproduction
The call is a fairly quiet "rog ... rog ... rog", and can go on for up to 12 seconds. They often also call underwater, so that the calls can only be heard from a very short distance by observers. Spawning only lasts a few days and during this period the males sometimes gather in large calling groups on the water surface to attracts females. In
Central Europe , spawing usually occurs in the first 20 days of March, but can also be delayed, depending on theweather .The spawn clumps consist of 450 to 1800 eggs and are usually attached to
tree branch es,root s, orplant stem s at depths of 5 to 40 centimeters. Therefore, they rarely sink to the bottom. Unlike theMoor Frog ("Rana arvalis") andCommon Frog ("Rana temporaria"), the Agile Frog does not lay its spawn all in the one clump. The diameter of a single egg is - not counting - the gelatinous shell, is 1.5 to 2.1 millimeters.Habitat
The agile frog prefers light deciduous
mixed forest s with a lot of water. The open land around a forest is often also populated, as long as it is connected to the forest by shrubs. In dry, warm forests, this species often also lives far away from the water. Of the three Middle European "Rana", it is the frog which likes warmth and dryness the most.The Agile Frog can be found in
France , parts ofGermany , theCzech Republic ,Austria ,Hungary , on theBalkans , even inGreece and by theBlack Sea .References
* Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern
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