Levant water frog

Short description: Species of amphibian

Template:Inline citations needed

Levant water frog

Levant water frog at Saint Raphael Lake, Gozo, Malta

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Amphibia
Order:  | Anura
Family:  | Ranidae
Genus:  | Pelophylax
Species:  |

P. bedriagae

Binomial name
Pelophylax bedriagae

(Camerano, 1882)

Synonyms

Rana bedriagae Camerano, 1882

The Levant water frog or Bedriaga's frog (Pelophylax bedriagae), formerly belonging to the genus Rana, is a southern European species of frog. They are green to brown in color with dark blotches on their dorsal side. They are cousins of the aquatic frogs and live most of the time in the water. They are not poisonous and are quite large, especially the females. It has been introduced in some countries where it was not native, one of which is Malta. First kept as a pet, then recently during the 1990s, it was deliberately introduced to a number of fresh water rock pools in Gozo, where in one it sustains a large population. Though a prolific and invasive species, it is restricted to constant fresh water supply, so it cannot spread naturally on its own on arid Mediterranean islands.

## Etymology

This species is named for herpetologist Jacques von Bedriaga.

Mating pair

## References

1. ↑ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Pelophylax bedriagae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T58893474A173829632.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/58893474/173829632. Retrieved 22 April 2024.

Arnold Sciberras; Patrick J. Schembri (2006). "Rana bedriagae". Herpetological Review 37 (1): 102. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260294295.

Arnold Sciberras; Patrick J. Schembri (2006). "Occurrence of Alien Bedriaga's frog (Rana bedriagae) Camerano, 1882 in the Maltese Islands, and implications for conservation". Herpetological Bulletin 95: 2–5.

Wikidata ☰ Q1186273 entry

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