Temporary frog?

[diggleken]

Hi all,
We know the latin/bio name of the Common Frog is Rana temporaria.
Ranidae is the family, thus Rana, but what is the significance of temporaria?
Temporary pools, habitat, or lifetime or what?
I cant find the original reasoning, anyone know it?
As they can tootle about quite a lot as adults and even froglets vamoose away from the breeding grounds when big enough and/or population density demands it, I suspect residence in one place for just a while is the reason.
Any views or ideas please?
Cheers
Ken

[loripo]

I came across this explanation...
Temporaria is also Latin and means 'temporary', this name was given due to the large numbers of this species during breeding season and then they seem to disappear and become discrete the rest of the time
sort of makes sense

[diggleken]

Thanks Lori, yes that does make a lot of sense!
Cheers
Ken

[kevinb]

That's right and some of the other frogs have the first name Pelophylax meaning mud guardian as they stay around the water , as in P.ribidundus(marsh frog and P. lessonae the pool frog.