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Western Palearctic water frogs

Peter Beerli
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taxon links [up-->]Rana lessonae [up-->]Rana epeirotica [up-->]Rana cretensis [up-->]Rana ridibunda [up-->]Rana perezi [up-->]Rana cerigensis [up-->]Rana bedriagae [up-->]Rana saharica [up-->]Rana shqiperica Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain[down<--]Rana (Pelophylax) Interpreting the tree
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Containing group: Rana (Pelophylax)

Introduction

The western palearctic water frogs are a group of frogs which are mostly water-bound and commonly found in ponds and rivers throughout Europe, northern Africa and the western parts of Asia.

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

The systematics of this groups is complicated by common hybrids (see on water frog home page: hybrids). Because morphological characters are not very discriminating between species, most populations were lumped into one taxon Rana ridibunda. With the use of molecular methods the number of species increased strongly, and most new species are removed from this heterogenous taxon. The shown phylogeny has still uncertainties about positions of some clades, because there exists more than one most parsimonious tree. An alternative view gives the following tree (using 31 electrophoretic loci and the program CONTML of the PHYLIP package of Joe Felsenstein). The trees does not include Rana terentievi, because we had no samples of it, but looking through its description we believe that it must be a sister taxon to the ridibunda clade.

Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

Distribution

Western Palearctic water frogs are very common throughout of Europe, the Middle East. The probably most southern populations are found in Jemen, the most eastern in Tadschijkistan or even western China, the most northern population are found in southern Sweden.

Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
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References

Beerli, P. 1994. Genetic isolation and calibration of an average protein clock in western Palearctic water frogs of the Aegean region. Thesis Universität Zürich.

Summary.

[There are still copies available, send a request to beerli@genetics.washington.edu]

Beerli, P., H. Hotz, and T. Uzzell. 1996. Geologically dated sea barriers calibrate an average protein clock in water frogs of the Aegean region. Evolution 50(4):1676-1687.

Information on the Internet

Peter Beerli's Water Frog Info-Pool
Title Illustrations
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Scientific Name Rana lessonae
Comments Group of calling males
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Sex Male
Copyright © 1995 Thomas Uzzell
About This Page

Peter Beerli
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Beerli, Peter. 1995. Western Palearctic water frogs. Version 01 January 1995 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Western_Palearctic_water_frogs/17479/1995.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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Western Palearctic water frogs

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