One of the 47 frogs on WAnimals
Amphibians · Anura · Ranidae
Pyrenean Frog
Rana pyrenaica
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
The Pyrenean frog is an anuran amphibian of the family Ranidae. The species was described in 1993, settling the controversy over the presence in the Pyrenees of Rana iberica, which it resembles morphologically. Recent genetic studies suggest that it may be more closely related phylogenetically to Rana temporaria than to R. iberica. It is an endemic amphibian, found almost exclusively in Spain, together with a few scattered localities in France along the border with Navarre, in the Irati Forest.
Size
3 cm – 5 cm
Lifespan
8 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Fun facts
- GeneralDescribed as a species in 1993; one of the rarest frogs in Europe.
- It was described in 1993, a remarkable date for a European vertebrate: it went unnoticed for centuries because of its tiny size, its discretion and its resemblance to the common frog, with which it shares its habitat.
- Its entire world range fits into a strip of the western and central Pyrenees, almost all of it on Spanish soil: Spain is directly responsible for its conservation.
- It depends on cold, well-oxygenated streams in mature woodland, and rising temperatures and falling summer flows are pushing it to ever higher ground.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
- Habitat & environment
- Cold streams and torrents in beech and fir forest of the Pyrenees, between 700 and 1,800 metres
- Sexual maturity
- 3 years
- Gestation / incubation
- Larval development in cold mountain streams
- Litter / clutch size
- 150 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rana_pyrenaica
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Pyrenean Frog — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Perez's Frog
Pelophylax perezi
Common Frog
Rana temporaria
Agile Frog
Rana dalmatina
Iberian Frog
Rana iberica
Water Frogs
Pelophylax kl. esculentus
Western Capercaillie
Tetrao urogallus
How to help
The pyrenean frog is classified as endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 2 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about pyrenean frog.
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