Common frog

Description:

Rana temporaria is a small animal that has a squat body and no tail. They have a wide, flat head connected to a short, solid body. The lower segments of the frogs backbone are fused, forming a stiff rod called the urostyle. Their urostyle and their pelvic bones help provide firmness and strength to the rear of the body, which is where the muscles used for jumping attach to the skeleton. Their powerful legs are not only used for jumping but for swimming as well. They have a brown-black triangular area around their eardrum, and brown shades covering the rest of their body, though there is a lot of variation in color, with gray, olive, even yellow or pink hues as well. Females are typically yellower and may have patches of red on their sides. Males develop blue patches on their back and throat during breeding season. For the most part females tend to be larger than males. The common frog is approximately 7.5-8 cm long. They lack vocal sacs and therefore can only be heard approximately 50 meters away.

Habitat:

Rana temporaria is a common terrestrial frog in Great Britain, Europe and northwestern Asia. Rana temporaria can be found in just about any damp habitat within its range, though they are more common in cooler upland forests and wet meadows. They are the most common frog in mountain lakes.

Notes:

Spotted in rural area of Deventer, Holland.