Balkan Water Frog

Gayda (1940) Rana kurtmuelleri bears great resemblance to Rana ridibunda. It was not until 1991 that it was distinguished from the latter by bio-acoustic analysis (Schneider et al 1993). Average body length for males about 72 mm and for females 78 mm. Shape typical of a green waterfrog. Eyes closely set, long hind legs and paired vocal sacs at the corners of the mouth. In most frogs the back is green, but can also be partially or entirely brown. Often there is a light green middorsal longitudinal stripe. Irregular dark green or -in brown animals- dark brown spots are randomly distributed over the back. The tympana are bronze colored or green in the center with a dark periphery. The vocal sacs of the males are light to dark gray (Schneider et al 1993).It is not unanimously accepted that Rana ridibunda and Rana kurtmuelleri are different species.

Rana kurtmuelleri occurs in Greece and in the southern parts of the adjacent Balkan countries. In Greece, the species is ubiquitous on the mainland except from the northeastern part which is inhabited by Rana ridibunda. In the larger part of Greece, from Nestos River to the mountains of Pindos, Rana kurtmuelleri lives alone, while in western Greece it occurs in relatively low percentage sympatrically with Rana epeirotica. In the western part of Thrace there is another zone of overlap between the two parapatric species R. kurtmuelleri and R. ridibunda. Rana kurtmuelleri is also known from the islands of Thasos and Zakynthos, while the situation in the other Aegean and Ionian islands demands intensive investigation. The species occurs from sea level up to about 1000m, but larger populations are not found higher than 600 m (Gasc 1997). The isolated population of this species in a park named Fælledparken in the very centre of Copenhagen, Denmark, is probably due to a recent introduction. They have been present in this park since the early 1980's. Call parameters group this population with R. balcanica, a junior synonym of R. kurtmuelleri (Jørgensen 1999).

Not known for this species, but probably similar to Rana ridibunda.

Although this species is common in throughout the range, illegal collection of enormous numbers for commercial or other purpose is a real factor endangering the populations of water frogs in general.

The Balkan frog (Pelophylax kurtmuelleri) also known as the Balkan water frog and Greek marsh frog) is a species of frog occurring in Greece and, to a lesser extent, in Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. The species highly resembles Pelophylax ridibundus, from which it was only distinguished in 1991 by bio-acoustic analysis. The separation of the species is not unanimously accepted.

The average length is 72 mm for males, 78 mm for females. The back is green or occasionally brown, often with a light green stripe down the middle, and with darker spots irregularly distributed across the back. The tympanum is bronze or green surrounded by a darker color.

The species is found across Greece except in the northeastern corner, where P. ridibundus is found instead. In Western Greece it lives along with Pelophylax epeiroticus. It occurs from sea level up to 1000 m, though large populations are not found above 600 m. Small introduced populations live in Denmark, Poland and Italy.