The Italian stream frog (''Rana italica''), also called the Italian frog, is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...
in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Ranidae. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to Italy and
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino, is a landlocked country in Southern Europe, completely surrounded by Italy. Located on the northeastern slopes of the Apennine Mountains, it is the larger of two European microstates, microsta ...
.
Description
Adults of ''R. italica'' have a head-body length of . The hind legs are long, but not extremely so. If the hind leg is pressed forward along the body, the "heel" (tibio-tarsal articulation) does not extend beyond the snout. There are pearly granules on the ventral surfaces of the hind legs.
Vocalization
The male ''R. italica'' calls only underwater. Calls are usually inaudible to a human listener, unless the calling frog is only slightly below the surface. Three different calls are known: a low repeated "grongron", a modulated "squack", and a short "uh".
[Razzetti, Edoardo; Sacchi, Roberto; Platz, James E. (2006). "First description of the acoustic repertoire of ''Rana italica'' (Anura, Ranidae)". ''Herpetological Journal'' 16: 229-231.]
Habitat
The natural
habitat
In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
s of ''R. italica'' are
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
s, intermittent rivers,
swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
s, freshwater
marsh
In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...
es, and intermittent freshwater marshes.
Conservation status
''R. italica'' is threatened by
habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...
.
References
Further reading
*
Dubois A (1987) ("1985"). "''Notes sur les grenouilles brunes (groupe de ''Rana temporaria'' Linné, 1758). IV. Note préliminaire sur ''Rana graeca'' Boulenger, 1891'' ". ''Alytes, Paris'' 4: 135–138. (''Rana graeca italica'', new subspecies). (in French).
Rana (genus)
Amphibians described in 1987
Amphibians of Europe
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{Ranidae-stub