ID this frog please

andy456 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-09-2010, 07:25 PM

I found this frog while out fishing, it was about the size of the palm of my hand, i think its just a common frog with mating colours but i would like to make sure.

oh and it was florescent green underneath

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/8439/dsc00588r.jpg

StuMack · #2 (**permalink**) 05-09-2010, 07:37 PM

Hi Andy

I think it is too, did it have the brown mask around the eyes which would confirm it?

Stu

andy456 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-09-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuMack

Hi Andy

I think it is too, did it have the brown mask around the eyes which would confirm it?

Stu

Hi Stu,

i also got this picture if it would help

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/373/dsc00587k.jpg

Littlesparrow · #4 (**permalink**) 05-09-2010, 08:08 PM

It is interesting to see the variety of colours these frogs come in, I have got two in the pond crowd at the moment that are very light beige, but in the past there has been high yellow and red ones.

Ukwildlifeo · #5 (**permalink**) 05-09-2010, 08:12 PM

yep common frog. I believe they can actually change colour to some extent ie lighter or darker.

Dogghound · #6 (**permalink**) 06-09-2010, 03:05 PM

Yes common frog, likely to be a old female.

I Love Nature · #7 (**permalink**) 06-09-2010, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Yes common frog, likely to be a old female.

I love frogs. But I'm no real expert. It is amazing to see the variety of colour these frogs can change into. I once saw one in a frog exhibition in America of one that looked just like a clump of moss. It was one of the best disguised animals I have ever seen. I would say better than a stick insect. If it hadn't been for the sign next to it saying This frog looks like a clump of moss I almost certainly wouldn't have seen it. There were loads of people who just couldn't see it even though they were looking hard. Could you just tell me how you know it is a female and not a male. Now you can tell the gender of almost any lizard by looking at one of its toes on eack of its back feet. If it is much longer then the rest then it is a male. I would have guessed that the same applies for a frog and this one does have a longer toe so does it not apply for frogs or was your sexing of the frog just a guess. Do you have any better way?

Dogghound · #8 (**permalink**) 06-09-2010, 06:04 PM

In breeding conditions sexing common frogs is very easy, Males in breeding condition have bulky, flabby fore arms which have a bluish tinge, as does the throat. They also have nuptial pads on their thumbs these are usually dark black/brown. Females develop white, cream spots/lumps (granules) on their sides and on their hind legs. Not much use at this time of year!

The thing to look out for is large chunky frogs, these are almost always females, males are usually smaller and usually have sharp features i.e sacral vertebra and spine, they often look rather skinny too. This is by no means definitive you get overlap and odd individuals (hence my likely). You can usually tell a frog is quite old by its facial features a sharp "nose" is usually suggestive that it is quite young, a smooth rounded "nose" usually means it is older.

Not sure about the toe length in lizards not a feature used on British species. You get palmate newts with a pale spot at the base of each hind leg and two spots under the hind feet.