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Rana macrocnemis (Uludag Frog / Uludağ Kurbağası)

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Rana macrocnemis (Uludag Frog / Uludağ Kurbağası)


Rana macrocnemis (Uludag Frog / Uludağ Kurbağası) from Kastamonu - 19.08.2010.

A typical montane frog with a vertical distribution between 1000-3000 m asl. The body length of adults varies between 50-83 mm. The toes are fully webbed. The eye pupil is oval and horizontally oriented. Tympanal membranes are distinct and temporal stripes evident. The skin usually rough and the dorsolateral folds are more or less distinct. During the breeding period, the males’ lymphatic sacs (a pair of inner vocal sacs) are filled with water. The dorsum varies from olive brown to dark chocolate brown with brown or blackish spots with undefined borders. A vertebral stripe is seen rarely. The belly is pinkish or yellowish-pink, without markings. This species is found in the Caucasus Mountains and throughout much of Anatolia, Turkey. An isolated population exists on the Strizhament Mountain in the Stavropolskii Region of Russia. It has been recorded from Iraq but further details of this population are needed. In Turkey it is found in W, S and N Anatolia. It is mainly found in humid areas included broadleaved, mixed and coniferous forests, swamps, steppes, sub alpine and alpine meadows. In dry areas this species is generally limited to areas close to permanent lakes, rivers, brooks and springs that are often surrounded by dense herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. When it disturbed, sometimes it exhibit a defensive behaviour, i. e. 'playing possum' which can be seen also in some other frogs. Their diet consists of various insects. It breeds in various stagnant and slow-flowing water bodies. They deposits medium sized eggs (diameter 1.7-2.4 mm without jelly envelopes), dark brown on the upper side and light underneath. The eggs are aggregated in large clutches, each clutch usually containing more than 1000 eggs.

References: 1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips. 2. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008]. 3. Tarkhnishvili, D. N. & Gokhelashvili, R. K.. (1999). The Amphibians of the Caucasus. Advances in Amphibian Research in the Former Soviet Union. Vol. 4. Pensoft, Sofia-Moscow, 239 pp. 4. Baran, I. & Atatür, M. K. (1998). Turkish Herpetofauna (Amphibians & Reptiles). Ministry of Environment, Ankara. 214 pp.


Author Bayram GÖÇMEN
Created on Thursday 19 August 2010
Posted on Thursday 20 January 2011
Tags Kastamonu, TURKEY / TÜRKİYE
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