Cretan frog

Cretan frog
File:Benny Trapp Pelophylax cretensis.jpg
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
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

The Cretan frog (Pelophylax cretensis) is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. It is endemic to Greece.

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.

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.

Source

• Beerli, P. & Uzzell, T. 2004. Rana cretensis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 July 2007.