Cretan frog
The Cretan frog (Pelophylax cretensis) is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Greece.
| Cretan frog | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Ranidae |
| Genus: | Pelophylax |
| Species: | P. cretensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pelophylax cretensis (Beerli, Hotz, Tunner, Heppich & Uzzell, 1994) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Rana cretensis Beerli, Hotz, Tunner, Heppich & Uzzell, 1994 | |
Description
A medium-sized frog reaching up to 6.5 cm in length. The Cretan frog is generally light grey to brown and mottled with brown or olive-grey spots on its back, while the throat and underside of the body are whitish-grey. Occasionally, the upperparts of the Cretan frog may be grass-green with distinct brown spots. The insides of the hind legs are yellow, and the sides of the body may also have yellowish colouration. This species has a prominent dark brown fold of skin down the back.[2]
Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Sources
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Pelophylax cretensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T58581A200715555. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58581A200715555.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- "Cretan frog videos, photos and facts - Pelophylax cretensis - ARKive". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
