Italian pool frog
Pelophylax cf bergeri
The Italian water frog ( Rana Pelophylax bergeri or bergeri ) is within the order of Anura to the family of the Real frogs ( Ranidae ). In addition, he is expected to follow appearance, biology and distribution of the water frogs, which are now provided by many authors in a separate genus Pelophylax. The systematic status of the species is controversial. They can be found on the Apennine peninsula, as well as in Sicily and Corsica.
Features
The Italian water frog has a body length of about 40 to 80 mm, with males sizes between 40 and 70 and females between 50 and 80 mm reach. The dorsal coloration is very variable, ranging from grass -green to brownish; usually there is a light green center strip. The round, black spots on the top are usually somewhat larger than in the sister species Pool Frog ( P. lessonae). The belly is whitish, yellowish or light gray and thereby often mottled gray. The inner thighs are conspicuous yellow to orange colored and brown marbled. The males possess paired, white, weakly pigmented vocal sacs. The hock is quite large, but flatter and much shorter than in P. lessonae. Also, they are never trained quite semicircular.
From the little water frog, which he resembles strong overall, he further distinguished by longer hind legs. ( The distribution ranges of both species overlap but probably only in the Po Valley. ) Is even more difficult to separate from the sympatric and often syntopic occurring Italian hybrid frog ( P. " hispanicus " ), which is only molecular biology to distinguish with certainty.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the Italian water frog is limited to the greater part of Italy south of the Po Valley, near Genoa and Rimini and on Elba and Sicily. He is also widespread on the island of Corsica, belonging to France, where he was introduced and according lives as neozoon. As habitat preference of the Italian Pool Frog vegetation-rich still and running waters in the open plains and in low mountains at altitudes of up to 1200 m ( in Sicily ). He seems to be ecologically less demanding than the little water frog.
System
In a large part of Italy, the species is associated with the Italian hybrid frog ( Pelophylax " hispanicus "), a hybridogenetic hybrids from Italian water frog and not occurring in Italy marsh frog ( P. ridibundus).
For the question of how it could come to a hybridization of the two now completely allopatric common water frog species, there are two theories. Either came Pelophylax bergeri before the last ice age to the north before, so that the crossing had taken place between him and the marsh outside the present-day Italy. The hybrids P. " hispanicus " would then be migrated to Italy. Another explanation is that the marsh frog genome of the Italian hybrid frog does not directly Seefröschen, but by another hybridogenetic hybrid water frogs, the frog pond ( P. " esculentus " ) could originate. This would therefore act as Vice- transmitter of ridibundus genome without that Pelophylax bergeri and P. ridibundus would ever met directly.
Endangering
The Italian water frog is classified in the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN as not at risk ( "Least Concern" ), because it has a relatively large area of distribution, greater adaptability to habitat changes and a relatively large total population is assumed. The main threat to this species is based on the reclamation of suitable habitats.