Dark-spotted frog

Dark-spotted frog
Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ranidae
Genus: Pelophylax
Species: P. nigromaculatus
Binomial name
Pelophylax nigromaculatus
(Hallowell, 1861)
Synonyms

Rana nigromaculata Hallowell, 1861

The Dark-spotted frog, or black-spotted frog, Pelophylax nigromaculatus (formerly Rana nigromaculata), is a species of true frog found in East Asia. It occurs across much of eastern and northeastern China, the Amur River valley in Russia, the Korean Peninsula, and most of Japan, although it does not occur on Hokkaidō. It has been considered the commonest of the true frogs on the Korean Peninsula, and has been hunted for food and used as an experimental animal. There is an introduced population in Turkmenistan.[2]

The dark-spotted frog is a relatively low-altitude species, not being found above 2200 m. It ranges across a variety of habitats, from deserts and bushland to meadows and forests, and is typically found in or near stagnant or slow-moving water. Although relatively tolerant of human interference, it is increasingly threatened by hunting and water pollution.[1]

Protoopalina pingi,[3] a parasite of the rectum of Pelophylax nigromaculatus in China

Adults are 6-9 cm in length, the females somewhat larger than the males. Males have a single pair of vocal sacs. Mating season occurs from April to June. The eggs are deposited in quantities of 1800 to 3000, and are laid in shallow water.

Parasites of this frog include the opalinid Protoopalina pingi, in the rectum.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kuzmin, S., Maslova, I., Tuniyev, B., Matsui, M., Li, P. & Kaneko, Y. (2004). "Pelophylax nigromaculatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  2. ↑ "Pelophylax nigromaculatus". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Li, W., Wang, C., Huang, F., Li, M., Nilsen, F., Liu, H. & Xu, J. 2014: Redescription of Protoopalina pingi Nie, 1935 inhabiting the recta of Hylarana guentheri and Pelophylax nigromaculatus in China. Parasite, 21, 46. doi:10.1051/parasite/2014021
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