Italian stream frog

{{Speciesbox

| image = Rana_italica.jpg

| image_caption = Rana italica

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| taxon = Rana italica

| authority = Dubois, 1987

| synonyms =

Rana graeca italica
{{small|Dubois, 1987}}
Rana (Rana) italica
{{small|— Dubois, 1987}}
Rana italica
{{small|— Picariello, Scillitani &
Cretella, 1990}}
Rana (Laurasiarana) italica
{{small|— Hillis & Wilcox, 2005}}

| synonyms_ref = Frost D (2018). "Rana italica ". Amphibian Species of the World 6.0, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History.

|status_ref={{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group |date=2020 |title=Rana italica |volume=2020 |page=e.T58624A89705522 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58624A89705522.en |access-date=16 November 2021}}

}}

The Italian stream frog (Rana italica), also called the Italian frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. The species is endemic to Italy and San Marino.

Description

Adults of R. italica have a head-body length of {{convert|7|–|7.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}. 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.Vanni S, Nistra A (2006). Atlante degli Anfibi e dei Rettili della Toscana. Florence: Università degli studi di Firenze, Museo di storia naturale sezione di zoologia La Specola. 379 pp. (in Italian).

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 habitats of R. italica are rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes.

Conservation status

R. italica is threatened by habitat loss.

Italian stream frog

Description

Vocalization

Habitat

Conservation status

References

Further reading