The Seoul frog or Seoul pond frog (''Pelophylax chosenicus'') is a species of
true frog found on the southern and western
Korean Peninsula
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
to Shenyang, China. . It is closely related to the
eastern golden frog
The eastern golden frog (''Pelophylax plancyi'') is a species of true frog found in eastern and northeastern China. It is closely related to the Seoul frog, ''Pelophylax chosenicus'' and to '' P. fukienensis'', both initially described as subsp ...
, ''P. plancyi'', and was long considered a subspecies thereof. Also known as gold-spotted pond frog, it is in fact not a true
pond frog
''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 fr ...
of
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
''Rana'', but belongs to the water frogs now again separated in ''Pelophylax''.
Adult Seoul frogs are roughly 6 centimeters in length. The back is bright green and bumpy, with patches of light brown; the belly is yellowish-red. The iris of the eye is golden. The body as a whole is round as if swollen.
The Seoul frog is found in ponds and rice paddies, but has been declining sharply, probably due to
habitat degradation. According to Matsui (2004), recent surveys have located populations in only four locations.
The mating season is from mid-May to June.
[
The Seoul frog is listed as an "Endangered category II species" in South Korea.]
References
Pelophylax
Amphibians of Korea
Endemic fauna of Korea
Amphibians described in 1931
{{Ranidae-stub