ID frogs of Skadar Lake, Montenegro

[Guillaume Labeyrie]

Hi everybody

I'm just back from a trip to the area of Skadar Lake, Montenegro. I'm far from being an expert, and I guess I could use some help to ID these Pelophylax sp. Thanks !!!

Lots of these small brownish frogs in a flooded willow forest, where a stream blends into the lake.

A juvenile, in the pools of the stream above the lake.

[Kenny De Boeck]

Pelophylax shqipericus ?

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Hmmmm... I'm rather sure about nobody is able to tell, although the big round spots and yellow on hindlegs and thighs might point towards shqipericus in the first animal. Wouldn't bet anything on it, though. Body proportions and length of hind legs are hard to rely on in juveniles.

[Kevin Byrnes]

I am going there on Saturday and so I was hoping for a different answer to that . There may be a few more ID questions next week.

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

I am going there on Saturday and so I was hoping for a different answer to that

Nothing better than to sneak up to one while calling... Other than that, look for lessonae-ish animals. More details e.g. in here =>
http://www.amazon.de/Die-Amphibien-Euro ... 3440063402
(unfortunately never translated into English, as far as I know)

I am going there on Saturday and so I was hoping for a different answer to that . There may be a few more ID questions next week.

Bring 'm on !

[Kevin Byrnes]

Thanks Jeroen, I have a CD of frog and toad calls so will be taking that with me for reference.That looks a good book if one has a lot of cash and can speak German, which counts me out.

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Thanks Jeroen, I have a CD of frog and toad calls so will be taking that with me for reference.That looks a good book if one has a lot of cash and can speak German, which counts me out.

I know... Pitty, although it used to be A LOT cheaper
Strangely enough, has been translated in Dutch

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Isn't it sad that there are soooo many (good) German language herp books that never get a translation? The "Handbuch" series is the most strong example imho - what is supposed to be (and in fact is !) the ultimate reference for European herpetofauna, is so hard to read for anyone from France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, UK, ...

Luckily, I live in an area where TV doesn't do overdubs and where the small range of the language simply forces you to learn other languages. I'm very happy that I can read the "Handbuch"

[Mario Schweiger]

The first and third seems to be Skutari frogs, because of "bright" yellow on flanks and hindlegs.
Wouldnt give to much on small or large blotches on dorsal side.
shqipericus looks, by body proportions, like lessonae - but not by color or markings.
The best thing is to hear them.
And one thing we observed, but isnt written in any book, as far as I know. Ridibundus is calling, floting on water surface, while shqipericus we observed allways roaring outside of the water, sitting on leafes of water lillies, etc.
Skutari frogs start roaring with a much smaller size (approx. 45 mm), rididundus with a minimum of 55 - 60 mm.
I was checking Günther R.: Die Wasserfrösche Europas - another book, available only in German

Mario

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

And one thing we observed, but isnt written in any book, as far as I know. Ridibundus is calling, floting on water surface, while shqipericus we observed allways roaring outside of the water, sitting on leafes of water lillies, etc.

Interesting, Mario, as something similar has been described for epeiroticus vs. ridibundus/kurtmuelleri.