Italian agile frog

Last updated

Italian agile frog
Rlatastei.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ranidae
Genus: Rana
Species:
R. latastei
Binomial name
Rana latastei
Boulenger, 1879

The Italian agile frog (Rana latastei), also known as Lataste's frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae (true frogs). The species is native to southern Europe, primarily found in the Po River Basin of Italy. It is one of the most endangered amphibian species in Europe, with its populations declining sharply in recent years, and has been the focus of multiple conservation plans.

Contents

Etymology

The specific name, latastei, is in honor of French herpetologist Fernand Lataste. [2]

Description

Rana latastei may attain a head-body length of 7.5 cm (3.0 in). Females tend to be slightly larger than males. [3] Most frogs have pointed snouts, though rounded snouts have been observed in some individuals. Like many European common frogs, R. latastei is primarily gray or brownish-red with white bellies, with almost no color variation by geographic location. The throat is dark, with a light narrow central stripe that reaches down to the chest. [4] Some sexually active males have dark red or brown spots on their throats, orange-red coloration on the underside of their thighs, and thumb pads on their forelimbs.

The Italian agile frog is a small brown frog with little morphological variation between different territories. Rana latastei.jpg
The Italian agile frog is a small brown frog with little morphological variation between different territories.

Habitat and distribution

Habitat

R. latastei is a decidedly lowland species and rarely occurs above 400 m a. s. l., only going up to the lower foothills of mountains, where the colder climate delays larval development and metamorphosis. [5] The Italian agile frog inhabits oak and hornbeam-dominated plain woods, hygrophilous woods and riparian woods characterized by white poplar and white willow trees. This types of woods may regularly be inundated by floods. It has also been reported from open habitats like wet meadows or peat bogs, as well as cottonwood plantations or ditches in agricultural areas that have sufficient vegetation. [6]

There have also been records of R. latastei living in caves in Italy and Croatia, though they may move between the caves and forests. [7] Researchers have suggested the frogs were either washed into the cave by floods – which are fairly common in most habitats preferred by the Italian agile frog – or they intentionally moved to the caves to avoid predators, find food, or seek humidity. It is unknown whether the Italian agile frog breeds in these subterranean habitats.

The Italian agile frog prefers humid regions with lots of rotting plant material and remains close to rivers, streams, lakes, and other sources of freshwater, which are required for the species' breeding and reproduction. [3] [8] They are most active early in the morning and at dusk and tend to avoid dry weather, during which the frogs will stay closer to sources of water and reduce activity until the evening. Adults are found closer to bodies of water during the breeding season between February and April, and are more commonly found in the forests when it becomes more humid during late spring and summer. [9] Activity tends to be highest in the summer and early autumn once the spring breeding season has concluded. Hibernation on land begins in October, and frogs will emerge in the spring to breed.

Geographic distribution

Rana latastei is endemic to the plains of northern Italy, the extreme southern tip of Switzerland, the Istrian region of Slovenia, and adjacent Croatia. [10] In Italy, populations are reported from four regions: Lombardy, Venetia, Piedmont and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, but the species is most abundant in the former two. Its distribution mainly follows the Po River plains and tributaries. [6]

Conservation

The IUCN lists this species as Vulnerable (VU). [10] A 2006 report indicated there were only about 250 populations of R. latastei in the wild, with western populations being smaller and at higher risk of extinction. The remaining 250 populations were small, isolated, and suffer from loss of genetic diversity. [3] Major threats to the survival of the species include habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation, as it is highly adapted to the floodplain woods of the Po River basin.

Habitat loss

Water pumping for crop irrigation has been especially harmful because it makes habitats less suitable for breeding. The Italian agile frog does not engage in long-distance movement and rarely strays far from the nearest breeding site, so fragmentation of forest habitats has also led to reduced genetic diversity among this species. This has been predicted to make the species more vulnerable to infection by Ranaviruses and other pathogens. [11] Genetic isolation is also thought to cause significant variation in size between different populations of R. latastei. [12] The introduction of invasive predatory species – including Percottuss glenii, the American bullfrog, and crayfish – have further endangered the Italian agile frog. [3]

The increased deposition of microplastics into the environment has also become a recent concern for the survival of the Italian agile frog. [13] Tadpoles feed in an indiscriminate manner, which puts them at greater risk of ingesting these small plastic particles. Increased microplastic exposure has been associated with reduced growth, activity, and survival rates in R. latastei tadpoles. Smaller microplastic fragments have been associated with the strongest negative effects on the species. This may be because small pieces and fibers of plastic can form blockages and tangled clumps in the tadpoles' intestines. Some researchers have suggested that larger, more developed tadpoles are more resistant to the negative effects of microplastics on growth and activity. [14] It is currently unknown how microplastics affect R. latastei adults.

Conservation efforts

To enhance the protection of this species, several conservation areas were proposed in Italy, and frog tadpoles bred and translocated to suitable sites. [15] The Regione Lombardia began a conservation effort for the species between 1999 and 2001, which entailed restoration of damaged and heavily polluted ponds as well as the repatriation of tadpoles to pre-existing and manmade ponds. [16] However, these repatriation efforts were only somewhat successful because many tadpoles were placed in ponds lacking the vegetation preferred by the Italian agile frog. Human disturbances such as agriculture, water pollution, and tourism, as well as new predators in repatriated habitats like red crayfish, are additional factors that have negatively affected conservation efforts for R. latastei.

A 2006 action plan by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention called for protection and improved management of R. latastei habitats, as well as the eradication of invasive predators. [3] Other conservation efforts include habitat restoration, mapping of potential future habitats in Europe, expanded research, distribution surveys, and evaluation of existing legal protections for the Italian agile frog.

Diet

Adult frogs search the forest litter, burrows, and riverbanks for their food, which includes insects like beetles, bugs, and earwigs, as well as worms, snails, centipedes, and several arachnids. [3] The tadpoles feed on algae and other edible and inedible particles.

Reproduction and life cycle

Fertilization

Reproduction activities occur in small permanent or temporal water bodies with extensive aquatic vegetation or submerged plant material, such as ponds, ditches or floodplain puddles. The Italian agile frog uses breeding sites different from other frogs in their geographic range, which tend to prefer areas with more sunlight and less forest cover. [3] Females lay eggs in a single, compact clump within 50 cm of the water surface, typically within 2 to 15 days of mating. [17] Only one clutch of eggs is deposited per breeding season, typically away from areas prone to frequent flooding. [18] There are usually between 676 and 2720 eggs in a single clutch, with an average of about 1278 eggs per clump. [3] The Italian agile frog's eggs have thinner gelatinous layers – only 6 to 7 mm (about 0.24 in) – than those of other species of frogs. The minimum water temperature for egg deposition is reported as 2 °C, and eggs hatch after 10 to 15 days. The number of clutches laid per year varies substantially due to fluctuations in temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors. [17]

As with other European frogs of the genus, metamorphosis is completed after 2 to 3 months. Froglets are between 13 and 15 mm (about 0.55 in) in length and leave the water in late June or July. Females leave the breeding site immediately after spawning, whereas males and juveniles remain there for up to 5 weeks. [6] Both males and females are able to reproduce in the first breeding season after completing metamorphosis, but do not reach complete sexual maturity until the second year after metamorphosis. [19] Males have a lifespan of about 3 years, while females live 4 years, making the Italian agile frog one of the shortest-lived European common frogs. While other species of common frog tend to live longer at higher altitudes and latitudes, it is currently unknown whether this holds true for the Italian agile frog. This short lifespan and explosive breeding pattern mean that sizes of Italian agile frog populations vary greatly from year to year. [19]

Mating

Between late February and mid-April, males and females gather at breeding sites, although some males have been reported to spend winters inside ponds in order to occupy an ideal breeding site before their counterparts arrive. [20] Males arrive at the breeding sites first and attract females with a species-specific call, which they repeat every 20 to 60 seconds underwater until a female arrives. [3] This call can be one of two distinct sounds: the first is a short, high-pitched "mew" that lasts about half a second, and the second is a harsh, guttural "brum" that lasts about one second. [20] The "mew" call is used for long-distance communication (which can be heard up to 4 m away from the frog), while the lower-frequency "brum" is for short-distance communication (no more than 30 cm away). [21] Some research indicates males call not just to attract females, but also to communicate their dominance over other males within the social hierarchy. Specifically, the "mew" may primarily be used by males to attract potential mates, while the "brum" may be used for courting females or threatening rival males. It is unknown whether males of this species display other territorial behaviors towards one another, despite the high levels of competition for mates. In larger populations, it is more common for a small number of males to mate with many females. [22] Polygyny is less frequently observed in smaller populations, suggesting there are more opportunities for male competition and breeding site monopolization in larger populations.

Enemies

Predators

The Italian agile frog's primary predators include snakes, herons, pheasants, ducks, and egrets. [3] Tadpoles are preyed upon by waterfowl as well as fish and some invertebrates, such as crayfish. Tadpoles will either freeze in place to avoid detection by predators or "zig-zag" back and forth to prevent predators from accurately predicting their next location. [23] They have also been shown to reduce activity level upon sensing the odor of dragonfly larvae, one of their most common predators. [14] This ability to flexibly modify behavior in response to the presence of dragonflies distinguishes the Italian agile frog from other Rana species. [23]

Tadpoles will modify their behavior less strongly in response to alien predators like crayfish. It is controversial as to whether the presence of predators influences hatching time. However, alien predator crayfish have been shown to induce faster embryonic development: embryos exposed to alien predators will reach Stage 25 of the Gosner development earlier than those which are left in environments without invasive predator species. [24] Tadpoles also tend to metamorphosize earlier in response to invasive predators, which helps meet the energetic requirements for escaping and evading predators. However, this faster development may result in some drawbacks as well: froglets which develop faster tend to have smaller tibiofibular bones than their slower-developing counterparts, likely due to the earlier time of metamorphosis. [25] Smaller tibiofibulas – and, as a result, smaller hindlegs – impair jumping performance, so the frogs which take the longest to fully develop end up with the longest hindlegs and best jumping performance. This decreased jumping performance may make adult frogs less able to escape predators while reducing their ability to catch food.

Competitors

R. latastei often shares habitats with the closely related Rana dalmatina, but does not often compete with it for resources or shelter due to having more specialized habitats and breeding behaviors. [3] However, the Italian agile frog does experience some reduced reproductive success in environments with large numbers of R. dalmatina. [26] This is likely because R. latastei females which mate with R. dalmatina males fail to produce viable offspring. R. latastei tadpoles will also flexibly increase their behavior if they detect the presence of competitors – namely, R. dalmatina tadpoles, which do not modify their behavior in the presence of their R. latastei counterparts to the same degree. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amphibian</span> Class of ectothermic tetrapods

Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniotic, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all tetrapods, excluding the amniotes. All extant (living) amphibians belong to the monophyletic subclass Lissamphibia, with three living orders: Anura (frogs), Urodela (salamanders), and Gymnophiona (caecilians). Evolved to be mostly semiaquatic, amphibians have adapted to inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living in freshwater, wetland or terrestrial ecosystems. Their life cycle typically starts out as aquatic larvae with gills known as tadpoles, but some species have developed behavioural adaptations to bypass this.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American bullfrog</span> Species of amphibian

The American bullfrog, often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, ponds, and lakes. Bullfrogs can also be found in manmade habitats such as pools, koi ponds, canals, ditches and culverts. The bullfrog gets its name from the sound the male makes during the breeding season, which sounds similar to a bull bellowing. The bullfrog is large and is commonly eaten throughout its range, especially in the southern United States where they are plentiful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common frog</span> Species of amphibian

The common frog or grass frog, also known as the European common frog, European common brown frog, European grass frog, European Holarctic true frog, European pond frog or European brown frog, is a semi-aquatic amphibian of the family Ranidae, found throughout much of Europe as far north as Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of the Iberian Peninsula, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans. The farthest west it can be found is Ireland. It is also found in Asia, and eastward to Japan. The nominative, and most common, subspecies Rana temporaria temporaria is a largely terrestrial frog native to Europe. It is distributed throughout northern Europe and can be found in Ireland, the Isle of Lewis and as far east as Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wood frog</span> Species of amphibian

Lithobates sylvaticus or Rana sylvatica, commonly known as the wood frog, is a frog species that has a broad distribution over North America, extending from the boreal forest of the north to the southern Appalachians, with several notable disjunct populations including lowland eastern North Carolina. The wood frog has garnered attention from biologists because of its freeze tolerance, relatively great degree of terrestrialism, interesting habitat associations, and relatively long-range movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darwin's frog</span> Species of amphibian

Darwin’s frog, also called the Southern Darwin's frog, is a species of Chilean/Argentinian frog of the family Rhinodermatidae. It was discovered by Charles Darwin during his voyage on HMS Beagle. on a trip to Chile. In 1841, French zoologist André Marie Constant Duméril and his assistant Gabriel Bibron described and named Darwin's frog. The diet of R. darwinii consists mostly of herbivore invertebrates. R. darwinii is currently classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

<i>Rana</i> (genus) Genus of amphibians

Rana is a genus of frogs commonly known as the Holarctic true frogs, pond frogs or brown frogs. Members of this genus are found through much of Eurasia and western North America. Many other genera were formerly included here. These true frogs are usually largish species characterized by their slim waists and wrinkled skin; many have thin ridges running along their backs, but they generally lack "warts" as in typical toads. They are excellent jumpers due to their long, slender legs. The typical webbing found on their hind feet allows for easy movement through water. Coloration is mostly greens and browns above, with darker and yellowish spots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickerel frog</span> Species of amphibian

The pickerel frog is a small North American frog, characterized by the appearance of seemingly "hand-drawn" squares on its dorsal surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain yellow-legged frog</span> Species of amphibian

The mountain yellow-legged frog, also known as the southern mountain yellow-legged frog, is a species of true frog endemic to California in the United States. It occurs in the San Jacinto Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, and San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California and the Southern Sierra Nevada. It is a federally listed endangered species, separated into two distinct population segments (DPS): a northern DPS, listed endangered in 2014, and a southern DPS that was listed endangered in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California red-legged frog</span> Species of amphibian

The California red-legged frog is a species of frog found in California (USA) and northern Baja California (Mexico). It was formerly considered a subspecies of the northern red-legged frog. The frog is an IUCN near-threatened species as of 2021, has a NatureServe conservation status of Imperiled as of 2015, and is a federally listed threatened species of the United States that is protected by law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agile frog</span> Species of amphibian

The agile frog is a European frog in the genus Rana of the true frog family, Ranidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common parsley frog</span> Species of amphibian

The common parsley frog is a species of frog in the genus Pelodytes. It lives in the Iberian region of southwestern Europe. Its earliest identification is believed to be from 1802.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia spotted frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Columbia spotted frog is a North American species of frog. It is green to brown in color with spots on the dorsal surface. The belly and upper lip are white in color. Individuals can be distinguished from other Rana species by their shorter back legs, narrow snout, and upturned eyes. Since they spend most of their time in the water, they also have more webbing in their hind feet than similar species. Although not threatened, this animal has been studied as a model species for the effects of habitat fragmentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moor frog</span> Species of amphibian

The moor frog is a slim, reddish-brown, semiaquatic amphibian native to Europe and Asia. Moor frogs are known for their ability to freeze solid and survive thawing. The frog makes use of various cryoprotectants i.e. antifreeze that decrease its internal freezing temperature. The species is distributed over a large range, covering a significant portion of Eurasia. Male moor frogs are known to turn blue temporarily during the height of mating season. This coloration is assumed to signal a mate's fitness. Moor frogs typically mate through multimale amplexus a form of polyandry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern leopard frog</span> Species of amphibian

Lithobates sphenocephalus or Rana sphenocephala, commonly known as the southern leopard frog, is a medium-sized anuran in the family Ranidae. The southern leopard frog is one of the 36 species of the Ranidae family found in North America. It is native to eastern North America from Kansas to New York to Florida. It is also an introduced species in some areas. This species lives in cool, clear water in the north, whereas in the south it occurs in warmer turbid and murky waters of coastal and floodplain swamps, twilight zones of caves, and abandoned mines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crawfish frog</span> Species of amphibian

The crawfish frog is a medium-sized species of frog native to the prairies and grasslands of the central United States. It gets its name because it inhabits the burrows of crayfish for most of the year. They have defined golden or black circles all over their body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iberian frog</span> Species of frog

The Iberian frog, also known as Iberian stream frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae found in Portugal and Spain. Its natural habitats are rivers, mountain streams and swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss, introduced species, climate change, water contamination, and increased ultraviolet radiation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi gopher frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Mississippi gopher frog, also known commonly as the dark gopher frog, the dusky gopher frog, and the St. Tammany gopher frog, is a critically endangered species of frog in the family Ranidae. The species is endemic to the southern United States. Its natural habitats are temperate coastal forests and intermittent freshwater marshes. This secretive frog is on average 3 in (8 cm) long, with a dark brown or black dorsal surface covered in warts. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

<i>Rhacophorus kio</i> Species of amphibian

Rhacophorus kio is a species of flying frog in the family Rhacophoridae and is found in the rainforests of southeast Asia, in countries such as China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its ability to glide and its adhesive toe pads make it well adapted to its habitat of the rainforest. Prior to a 2006 study by Annemarie Ohler and Magali Delorme, R. kio and R. reinwardtii were thought to be the same species. The common name black-webbed treefrog can refer to either species. Compared to other frog species in the area, R. kio not only creates a foam nest that holds their eggs, but also creates a structure with leaves that will wrap around the eggs. While the conservation status of the species is currently classified as of least concern by the IUCN Red List, R. kio faces habitat loss from deforestation to make space for agriculture and other human influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celtic Reptile & Amphibian</span> Company supporting species reintroduction and rewilding

Celtic Reptile & Amphibian, also known as Celtic Rewilding Ltd, is a conservation company, established in 2020, by Harvey Tweats and Tom Whitehurst, with the initial aim of reintroducing extinct reptiles and amphibians back to rewilding projects within the UK. However, the company's scope has since broadened. It is based in Leek, Staffordshire.

Rana ulma is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Okinawa Islands, in the central Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It is currently only known from northern Okinawa Island and from Kume Island. Common names Okinawa frog and Ryukyu brown frog have been used for this species; the latter can refer to this species or to Rana kobai. The specific name ulma means "coral island" in Uruma dialect of Okinawa.

References

  1. ↑ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Rana latastei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T19156A89698776. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T19156A89698776.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Exeter, England: Pelagic Publishing Ltd. xiii + 262 pp.
    ISBN   978-1-907807-41-1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Edgar, Paul; Bird, David R. (12 October 2005). "Action Plan for the Conservation of the Italian Agile Frog (Rana latastei) in Europe" (PDF). Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. London: Collins. 272 pp. (Rana latastei, pp. 81-82 + Plate 11 + Map 39).
  5. ↑ Ficetola, Gentile Francesco; Bernardi, Fiorenza De (2005). "Supplementation or in situ conservation? Evidence of local adaptation in the Italian agile frog Rana latastei and consequences for the management of populations". Animal Conservation. 8 (1): 33–40. Bibcode:2005AnCon...8...33F. doi:10.1017/S1367943004001805. ISSN   1469-1795. S2CID   43981758.
  6. 1 2 3 Barbieri, Francesco; Bernini, Franco (1 January 2004). "Distribution and status of Rana latastei in Italy (Amphibia, Ranidae)". Italian Journal of Zoology. 71 (sup1): 91–94. doi: 10.1080/11250003.2004.9525542 . ISSN   1125-0003.
  7. ↑ Šarić, Katarina Koller (June 2017). "Underground occurrences of three species of amphibians and reptiles with special emphasis on Rana latastei (Amphibia: Anura)" (PDF). North-Western Journal of Zoology. 13 (1): 176–179 – via ResearchGate.
  8. ↑ Ildos, Angela S.; Ancona, Nicoletta (1 January 1994). "Analysis of amphibian habitat preferences in a farmland area (Po plain, northern Italy)". Amphibia-Reptilia. 15 (3): 307–316. doi:10.1163/156853894X00083. ISSN   1568-5381.
  9. ↑ di Cerbo, Anna Rita; Biancardi, Carlo M. (2013). "Herpetofauna of the Northern Adda Regional Park (SCI IT2030005 Palude Di Brivio, Lombardy, Northern Italy): management and conservation issues". ResearchGate.
  10. 1 2 "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Rana latastei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 14 December 2008. doi: 10.2305/iucn.uk.2009.rlts.t19156a8845034.en . Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Pearman, Peter B.; Garner, Trenton W. J. (9 March 2005). "Susceptibility of Italian agile frog populations to an emerging strain of Ranavirus parallels population genetic diversity". Ecology Letters. 8 (4): 401–408. Bibcode:2005EcolL...8..401P. doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00735.x. ISSN   1461-023X.
  12. ↑ Marzona, Elena; Seglie, Daniele; Giacoma, Cristina. "Morphological Variation of "Rana latastei" (Boulenger, 1879) across the Species' Geographic Range". torrossa.com. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  13. ↑ Balestrieri, Alessandro; Winkler, Anna; Scribano, Giovanni; Gazzola, Andrea; Lastrico, Giuditta; Grioni, Alice; Pellitteri-Rosa, Daniele; Tremolada, Paolo (15 June 2022). "Differential effects of microplastic exposure on anuran tadpoles: A still underrated threat to amphibian conservation?". Environmental Pollution. 303: 119137. Bibcode:2022EPoll.30319137B. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119137. ISSN   0269-7491. PMID   35318069. S2CID   247577600.
  14. 1 2 Scribano, Giovanni; Gazzola, Andrea; Winkler, Anna; Balestrieri, Alessandro; Grioni, Alice; Lastrico, Giuditta; Tremolada, Paolo; Pellitteri-Rosa, Daniele (22 September 2022). "Anti-predator behavioral responses of Italian agile frog tadpoles (Rana latastei) exposed to microplastics". Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. 30 (5): 13688–13696. Bibcode:2022ESPR...3013688S. doi:10.1007/s11356-022-23131-4. ISSN   1614-7499. PMC   9898332 . PMID   36136197. S2CID   252437352.
  15. ↑ Scali, Stefano; Gentili, Augusto; Barbieri, Francesco; Bernini, Franco; Vercesi, Alberto (15 November 2001). "Un progetto integrato per la conservazione degli anfibi in Lombardia" (PDF). Pianura. 13: 21–123.
  16. ↑ Fasola, Mauro; Pellitteri-Rosa, Daniele; Pupin, Fabio; Scali, Stefano; Sacchi, Roberto; Bernini, Franco; Gentilli, Augusto; Razzetti, Edoardo (1 January 2008). "Factors affecting repatriation success of the endangered Italian agile frog (Rana latastei)". Amphibia-Reptilia. 29 (2): 235–244. doi:10.1163/156853808784124910. ISSN   1568-5381.
  17. 1 2 Canova, Luca; Balestrieri, Alessandro (18 July 2018). "Long-term monitoring of the endemic Rana latastei: suggestions for after-LIFE management". Oryx. 52 (4): 709–717. doi: 10.1017/S0030605317001879 . ISSN   0030-6053. S2CID   91365858.
  18. ↑ Bernini, Franco; Gentilli, Augusto; Merli, Enrico; Razzetti, Edoardo (2004). "Rana dalmatina and R. latastei : Habitat selection, fluctuation in egg clutch deposition and response to exceptional floods in northern Italy". Italian Journal of Zoology. 71 (sup2): 147–149. doi:10.1080/11250000409356624. ISSN   1125-0003. S2CID   85012718.
  19. 1 2 Guarino, Fabio M.; Lunardi, Silvia; Carlomagno, Michela; Mazzotti, Stefano (December 2003). "A skeletochronological study of growth, longevity, and age at sexual maturity in a population of Rana latastei (Amphibia, Anura)". Journal of Biosciences. 28 (6): 775–782. doi:10.1007/BF02708438. ISSN   0250-5991. PMID   14660877. S2CID   13247679.
  20. 1 2 Sacchi, R.; Cigognini, R.; Gazzola, A.; Bernini, F.; Razzetti, E. (2 January 2015). "Male calling activity in syntopic populations of Rana latastei and Rana dalmatina (Amphibia: Anura)". Italian Journal of Zoology. 82 (1): 124–132. doi: 10.1080/11250003.2014.983567 . ISSN   1125-0003. S2CID   85314910.
  21. ↑ Seglie, Daniele; Giacoma, Cristina; Marzona, Elena; Paschetto, Daniele (2006), "Advertisement Calls of «Rana latestei» (Boulenger, 1879)", Societas herpetologica italica : atti del V congresso nazionale, Calci (Pisa), 29 settembre-3 ottobre 2004, Firenze University Press, doi:10.1400/54799 , retrieved 12 October 2022
  22. ↑ Ficetola, G. F.; Padoa-Schioppa, E.; Wang, J.; Garner, T. W. J. (4 November 2010). "Polygyny, census and effective population size in the threatened frog, Rana latastei: Polygyny and effective population size in frogs". Animal Conservation. 13: 82–89. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00306.x. S2CID   43945101.
  23. 1 2 Gazzola, Andrea; Balestrieri, Alessandro; Scribano, Giovanni; Fontana, Andrea; Pellitteri-Rosa, Daniele (1 May 2021). "Contextual behavioural plasticity in Italian agile frog ( Rana latastei ) tadpoles exposed to native and alien predator cues". Journal of Experimental Biology. 224 (9): jeb240465. doi: 10.1242/jeb.240465 . ISSN   0022-0949. PMID   33795420. S2CID   232762393.
  24. ↑ Muraro, Martina; Romagnoli, Samuele; Barzaghi, Benedetta; Falaschi, Mattia; Manenti, Raoul; Ficetola, Gentile Francesco (12 August 2021). "Invasive predators induce plastic and adaptive responses during embryo development in a threatened frog". NeoBiota. 70: 69–86. doi: 10.3897/neobiota.70.65454 . hdl: 2434/904266 . ISSN   1314-2488. S2CID   245079814.
  25. ↑ Francesco Ficetola, Gentile; De Bernardi, Fiorenza (March 2006). "Trade-off between larval development rate and Post-metamorphic Traits in the Frog Rana latastei". Evolutionary Ecology. 20 (2): 143–158. Bibcode:2006EvEco..20..143F. doi:10.1007/s10682-005-5508-6. ISSN   0269-7653. S2CID   43559726.
  26. ↑ Hettyey, A. (1 March 2003). "Social environment and reproductive interference affect reproductive success in the frog Rana latastei". Behavioral Ecology. 14 (2): 294–300. doi: 10.1093/beheco/14.2.294 .
  27. ↑ Castellano, Sergio; Seglie, Daniele; Gazzola, Andrea; Racca, Luca; Ciaralli, Simone; Friard, Olivier (6 May 2022). "The effects of intra- and interspecific competitions on personality and individual plasticity in two sympatric brown frogs". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 76 (5): 66. doi: 10.1007/s00265-022-03173-x . ISSN   1432-0762. S2CID   248592451.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.