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 Edit this 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

  1. 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.
  2. "Cretan frog videos, photos and facts - Pelophylax cretensis - ARKive". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-27.


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