One of the most numerous species of fauna is the moor frog (Rana arvalis), a typical representative of the class of amphibians. It is often found near water bodies in many regions and massively inhabits the territories of nature reserves.
Appearance
This type of frog is not large in size, reaching a maximum length of 7 cm. A distinctive feature is a pointed muzzle.
There are also some structural features of the body. So, when the limbs are folded perpendicular to the axis of the body, the ankle joints may not reach one another. The size of the internal calcaneal tubercle is quite large in these frogs. He is tall and is more than half the length of the entire finger.
Due to its peculiar coloring, the moored frog is almost invisible in the grass. The back of a brown color can have a different yellowish, pink, olive hue. It often has dark shapeless spots of various sizes. A light stripe sometimes runs along the back. A dark spot stretches from the eye to the shoulder, which acts as a camouflage during the hunt. The male can be identified byrough nuptial calluses located on the toes of the front paws, as well as the bluish color of the body, which it acquires during the mating season. Life expectancy averages 12 years.
Distribution
Almost everywhere in European countries there is a moored frog, the photo of which is posted in this article. In the north, its distribution area is limited to Scandinavia, in the south - Yugoslavia and Romania. In Russia, the range of the species extends from the White Sea to the lower reaches of the Don in the Rostov region, including Western Siberia and the Urals.
Habitats
Forest and forest-steppe zones are the main places where this type of frog lives most massively. In the mountains, they can occasionally be found in Altai, at an altitude of no more than 2140 meters above sea level, in the Carpathians, up to a height of 987 m. They live almost everywhere, choosing both wet and dry areas.
In deciduous and mixed forests, they prefer to occupy edges, clearings. They like to settle in floodplains, swamps, overgrown ravines, in meadows rich in herbs. It is not uncommon to meet this amphibian on agricultural lands, vegetable gardens and even in city parks and squares.
Lifestyle
Like all other amphibians, the moor frog can have different activity, which depends on the ambient temperature. With the onset of cold weather, they become less mobile. The ability of these amphibians to breathe not only with the help of the lungs, but also with the entire surface of the skin, requires a humid environment. Drythe air can destroy them. Therefore, the frog spends most of the time in the water, occasionally moving away from the reservoir at a distance of no more than 20 meters. They can hide under the roots of trees, in fallen leaves, thick grass. Most common when air humidity exceeds 85%.
In autumn, in September or October, the frog leaves for the winter. Spends it on land, hiding in old rodent burrows, rotten stumps or basements.
Food
Insects are the main food for frogs. Most often these are beetles, mosquitoes, caterpillars. The moor frog is not averse to eating mollusks, spiders, earthworms and other invertebrates. The nature of food largely depends on the habitat and the season. Frogs hunt with a long sticky tongue, which almost instantly grabs prey.
They themselves are often the victim. Snakes, storks, gulls, crows, ferrets, badgers, foxes and many other representatives of the animal world constantly hunt frogs. Newts absorb their eggs, dragonfly larvae and beetles - tadpoles. The moored frog has also been seen eating its own individuals.
Reproduction
Spending most of their lives on land, these frogs breed in the water. This happens in early spring, when the water temperature rises to 5⁰С, but the snow has not completely melted yet. The breeding season is short. By May, after a maximum of 25 days, he is usually alreadyends.
For spawning, the moor frog chooses mainly temporary water bodies - peat quarries, puddles, ditches. At the bottom of grassy shallows up to 40 cm deep, the female lays eggs, which can contain from 300 to 3 thousand eggs. The egg diameter is approximately 7 mm. After that, the female leaves the reservoir, hiding under leaves or moss. The male remains to guard the clutch, rushing at the approaching individuals with a cry.
The development of eggs lasts from 5 to 21 days, depending on weather conditions. The length of the hatched larvae does not exceed 8 mm. Their development lasts 37–90 days. The tadpoles are dark in color, the tail pointed at the end is twice the length of the body. In the second month of life, their forelimbs, pulmonary respiration, and tail resorption occur. In June or July, underyearlings appear.
The mortality rate of the offspring of the moor frog is very high. Almost half of the eggs and tadpoles die due to the drying up of water bodies. In sphagnum bogs, most of them die from acidification of the water. As a result, at best, only 3% of all laid eggs survive to the stage of the yearlings.
Captivity
Observations on grass and moor frogs confirm the fact that there is practically no difference in their content in captivity. You will need a small terrarium (30–40 liters), in which vegetation is planted and a pond is arranged. It should be large enough in area, but shallow. From above, the container is covered with a net to prevent escape.inhabitants. The moor frog terrarium does not need any additional heating or lighting.
