Sahara frog

Last updated

Sahara frog
Grenouille du Sahara -Pelophylax saharicus- Rana saharica. (Djebel El Haouaria Z.I.C.O).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ranidae
Genus: Pelophylax
Species:
P. saharicus
Binomial name
Pelophylax saharicus
(Boulenger, 1913)
Pelophylax saharicus range Map.png
Synonyms

Rana esculenta var. saharicaBoulenger in Hartert, 1913 [2]

Contents

The Sahara frog (Pelophylax saharicus) is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Spanish North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla), and Western Sahara; [2] it has also been introduced to Gran Canaria. In French it is called grenouille verte d'Afrique du Nord, and in Spanish it is known as rana verde norteafricana. [1]

Description

The Sahara frog is a large species, an exceptional female from Morocco having a snout-to-vent length of 104.5 mm (4.1 in). It is sometimes confused with Perez's frog (Pelophylax perezi), and the published description may be partially of that species. The head is as wide as it is long, the snout is oval and the eyes have horizontal pupils. Males have a pair of vocal sacs on the throat. A ridge connects the nostrils and upper eyelids and continues to the groin, separating the back from the flanks. The hind feet are webbed. The colour is variable, being reported as green, brown or mixed, sometimes with darker spots. Some frogs have a yellowish or greenish line along the spine. The legs are always spotted or barred. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The Sahara frog is native to North Africa where its range includes Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It is aquatic and found in and near streams, oasis pools, irrigation canals, lakes, and other water bodies. [1]

Status

The Sahara frog is abundant where a suitable wetland habitat is present. Though its population has remained steady, over-exploitation and pollution of water sources could threaten the species in the future. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

A population has been discovered in 2021 in the Etang de Berre wetland in Southern France, spreading to several localities, reproducing and present since 2011 at least, and is considered there an invasive species. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Tarentola mauritanica</i> Species of reptile

Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas. A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.

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

The marsh frog is a species of water frog native to Europe and parts of western Asia.

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

The pool frog is a European frog in the family Ranidae. Its specific name was chosen by the Italian herpetologist Lorenzo Camerano in 1882, in order to honour his master Michele Lessona.

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

The Mediterranean tree frog, or stripeless tree frog, is a species of frog found in south-west Europe and north-west Africa. It resembles the European tree frog, but is larger, has longer hind legs, and the flank stripe only reaches to the front legs. The croaking resembles that of H. arborea, but it is deeper and slower.

<i>Pelophylax nigromaculatus</i> Species of amphibian

Pelophylax nigromaculatus, is a species of true frog found in East Asia, first described in 1861. This widespread and common frog has many common names, including dark-spotted frog, black-spotted pond frog, and black-spotted frog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North African fire salamander</span> Species of amphibian

The North African fire salamander is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae found in Algeria, Morocco, Ceuta, and possibly Tunisia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, and caves. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berber toad</span> Species of amphibian

The Berber toad, also known as Mauritanian toad, Moroccan toad, pantherine toad or Moorish toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae, which is found in north-western Africa, with an introduced population in southern Spain.

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

The Italian pool frog is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. Found on the mainland of Italy and the Mediterranean islands of Sicily, Elba, Corsica and Sardinia, its natural habitats are rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes and freshwater marshes. It is not considered threatened by the IUCN.

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

The Epirus water frog is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is found in western Greece, including Kerkyra, and the southern areas of Albania. The species is collected from the wild for human consumption.

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

The common green frog is a frog species of in the true frog family Ranidae; some sources still use the old name Rana erythraea. It lives in Southeast Asia and is also known as green paddy frog, red-eared frog or leaf frog. The last name, however, commonly refers to the Neotropical tree frogs which make up the subfamily Phyllomedusinae. These are not closely related to H. erythraea, belonging to family Hylidae instead.

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

The Perez's frog, 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.

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

The Albanian water frog is a species of true frog and is native to Albania and Montenegro. As its common name suggests, it prefers aquatic environments. The Albanian water frog is an endangered species and known populations are currently in decline. Significant threats to its habitat are presented by pollution and by drainage of wetlands, and a more direct threat is the aggressive collection of the species for commercial purposes.

Pelobates varaldii, the Moroccan spadefoot toad, Moroccan spadefoot, or Varaldi's spadefoot toad, is a species of frog in the family Pelobatidae. As currently known, it is endemic to the coastal north-western Morocco, although there is an unconfirmed record from the Spanish territory of Melilla that could possibly represent this species. The specific name varaldii honours Marcel Varaldi who collected amphibians and reptiles in Morocco.

Saurodactylus mauritanicus is a species of gecko in the Sphaerodactylidae family found in Morocco, Western Sahara, and possibly Algeria. Both this species and Saurodactylus brosseti were both commonly known as the Morocco lizard-fingered gecko, and were both considered conspecific. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rocky areas, arable land, and pastureland. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean dry woodlands and steppe</span> Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion of North Africa

The Mediterranean dry woodlands and steppe is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion of North Africa. It occupies interior plateaus and mountain ranges of the Maghreb region, lying generally between the coastal Mediterranean woodlands and forests to the north and the Sahara to the south.

<i>Pelophylax</i> Genus of amphibians

Pelophylax is a genus of true frogs widespread in Eurasia, with a few species ranging into northern Africa. This genus was erected by Leopold Fitzinger in 1843 to accommodate the green frogs of the Old World, which he considered distinct from the brown pond frogs of Carl Linnaeus' genus Rana.

<i>Pelophylax caralitanus</i> Species of amphibian

Pelophylax caralitanus, commonly known as the Anatolian frog or Beyşehir frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to southern Turkey where it has a moderately large range and is considered near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Chalcides boulengeri, also known commonly as Boulenger's feylinia and Boulenger's wedge-snouted skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to the Maghreb region of North Africa.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 David Donaire-Barroso, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Alfredo Salvador, Mario García-París, Ernesto Recuero Gil, Tahar Slimani , El Hassan El Mouden, Philippe Geniez, Tahar Slimani, Ulrich Joger, Sherif Baha El Din (2009). "Pelophylax saharicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2009: e.T58707A11826925. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T58707A11826925.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2015). "Pelophylax saharicus (Boulenger, 1913)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  3. "Pelophylax saharicus". AmphibiaWeb. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  4. Doniol-Valcroze, P., Mazepa, G., Grimal, F., Sourrouille, P., Perrin, N., Litvinchuk, S. N. & Crochet, P.-A (2021). "Discovery of a Pelophylax saharicus (Anura, Ranidae) population in Southern France: a new potentially invasive species of water frogs in Europe". Amphibia-Reptilia. XX: 1–16.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)