Frog lake: description, habitat, photo

The lake frog is the largest representative of its species. Its habitat is wide enough, so the shape of the color varies depending on the territory. Populations are usually numerous.

Frog lake: description

It has an elongated body with a slightly pointed muzzle. The color of the top part can be different. Usually it is green, but sometimes there are gray and brown frogs. The whole body is covered with large dark spots of uneven shape.

The majority of representatives of this species along the spine and head is a well-marked bright band with small patches.

Bottom, the body is yellowish or dirty white. Often there are almost black spots. Eyes are golden. In the natural environment lives up to 10 years. The lake frog grows to 17 cm in length. It should be noted that males are slightly smaller than females, but they have resonators. In the daytime, it periodically enters the water to increase the skin's moisture, at night, when the temperature of the air decreases, the frog does not endanger the drying of the body surface.

Habitat

The amphibian prefers such natural zones as mixed and deciduous forests, steppes, in the southern part it can be found in deserts, in the north it inhabits certain areas of the taiga. Thus, its habitat is Central and Southern Europe, Asia, Kazakhstan, Russia, the Caucasus, Iran, North Africa.

A frog lake lives in water with fresh water (depth more than 20 cm). It inhabits ponds, estuaries and banks of rivers, lakes. You can see it in the city limits along the concreted shores of reservoirs, in willows and reeds. The presence of a person nearby is calm.

Even the most extreme conditions can adapt the lake frog. The habitat of individuals of this species therefore can be very different, they are able to survive in highly polluted places, but in this case developmental anomalies are possible.

It is easy and quickly populates also artificial dams and reservoirs. When the reservoirs dry up, they can migrate to a new habitat, overcoming up to 12 km.

Behavior

The lake frog is a thermophilic species. It is active around the clock at a temperature of +8 to +40 ° C. In a particularly hot clock hides in the shade of plants.

The animal spends the day both on the shore and in the water. On land, it is heated in the sun, while being still. However, having excellent hearing and vision, at the slightest danger jumps into the water. Here the frog finds a safe place and hides, often just hammering into the silt. In the water, it can be long enough. And only after it is convinced that there is no danger, it returns to its former place.

Being a good swimmer, she still avoids fast currents, although she is not afraid of even a wave.

The life of the lake frog allows it to stay in the same pond for the winter. Sometimes it moves in search of deeper places or springs. Where the water does not freeze all year round, the frog remains active all the time. Wintering lasts about 230 days, all this time it is in the ooze or at the bottom. Upwards it rises by the middle of May, when the water warms up sufficiently. In the case of frost, a large number of frogs die.

In a favorable habitat for the area, the number of amphibians is amazing. Often frogs on the shore sit in huge flocks, and the surface of the reservoir is full of numerous protruding muzzles.

Ration

What does the lake frog eat? Everything depends on age, place of habitation, sex and time of year. They feed both on land and in water.

Ground hunting occurs only a few meters from the shore. This amphibian is a real predator. Thanks to the impressive size, its potential prey can become a small lizard and a snake, a mouse, a chick and even a smaller frog.

Tritons, small fish and own tadpoles appear in the water. The main diet includes invertebrates - crustaceans, insects, mollusks, centipedes and worms.

The lake frog can catch its prey even on the fly. Usually it's butterflies, flies, dragonflies. During the hunt, she actively uses her tongue, throwing him a few inches forward. Sticky mucus helps to keep mobile prey. If the victim is at a great distance, the amphibian creeps toward it carefully. The frog also very accurately knows how to jump, landing in the right place.

The main diet of tadpoles is small algae.

How does the lake frog multiply?

Sexual maturation of the female reaches to three years. Unlike other amphibians, reproduction occurs much later in time. The frog waits until the water temperature rises to +18 ° C. Usually this is the end of May or June. Eggs lay in the same pond in which it lives, special migrations for this purpose it does not commit.

Since the appearance of the first frog after wintering until the spawning begins, it takes from one week to a month.

For reproduction, they are collected in large groups. Males during this period are especially many-voiced and very mobile. When croaking they resonate at the corners of their mouths. Also for the period of reproduction in males on the front leg on the first finger appear seals - conjugal calluses.

Their "songs" attract the attention of females. Pairing takes place before laying eggs. However, fertilization is external. This happens in almost all amphibians, except for the frog and lake.

The description of this process is as follows: the male covers the female in such a way that its front legs are on the chest. Thus, simultaneous sifting of spermatozoa and eggs into the water occurs, which facilitates the fertilization of more eggs. Sometimes two or three males can immediately "hug" one female.

The breeding season is one month. One female can postpone up to 6,000 eggs.

Tadpoles of the lake frog

After 3-15 days after fertilization, tadpoles appear. Immediately after birth, they spread out all over the pond. During the day they are more active, they hide at night on the bottom. In just 2-3 months they reach a length of 9 cm. However, after the metamorphosis of the frog, only 1.5-2.5 cm.

The most favorable temperature for them is + 20-28 ° С, at + 5-6 ° С there is a stop of development, and at + 1-2 ° С they perish. Not all tadpoles will turn into an adult lake frog. Most of them will become the food of predatory fish and various birds.