Rana temporaria
European frog

Rana temporaria is a common terrestrial frog in Great Britain, Europe and northwestern Asia. In continental Europe they are referred to as "grass frog" or "brown frog". They are resistant to cold climates and live as far north as the Arctic circle in Scandinavia, farther north than any other amphibian in the region.

(Britannica 1999-2001)

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.

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.

(Mattison 1982; Britannica 1999-2001)

These frogs communicate through croaks. Air from the lungs is forced over vocal cords in the throat. Communication is very important during mating season, for this is how males attract females. After mating, the frogs abandon their eggs. They do not take care of them.

They tend to hide in damp places during the day, but often wander far from standing water. They search for food during the night or on rainy days. During the winter they stay in the soil of earth holes. They are capable of recognizing the qualities of their own homeland. In three years they reach sexual maturity, returning to the water where they originally metamorphosed to spawn. (Duellman and Trueb 1986)

Rana temporaria eats insects, their larvae, wood lice, spiders, snails and worms. They are able to detect worms by smell. Eating habits are greatly influenced by the time of year.

(Duellman and Trueb 1986; Mattison 1993)

Rana temporaria are of great importance to humans. They consume insects, which helps control populations of mosquito's and crop-damaging insects. Frogs are also important when it comes to teaching and scientific research. Adult frogs are used to teach students about the anatomy and physiology of vertebrates and help scientist learn about embryonic development. Ecologists monitor frog populations as they reflect the health of the ecosystem as a whole. In addition, frog legs are a delicacy in many parts of Europe. (Mattison 1987)

This common species is currently in no danger of extinction, but local populations can be very unstable. Disturbance of breeding ponds, unusually hard freezes, and pollution by herbicides are all known to wipe out the species in a region.