Rana latastei, commonly called the Italian agile frog (or Lataste’s frog), is a species of true frog in the family Ranidae native to parts of southern Europe. (Wikipedia)
🐸 What It Is
- A small to medium‑sized frog, typically about 7 cm long with a slender body and often brownish‑red or gray coloring. (Wikipedia)
- The name “agile” reflects its habit of quick movements and jumping activity. (Wikipedia)
🌍 Where It Lives
- Endemic to the lowlands of northern Italy, especially the Po River basin.
- Also found in parts of southern Switzerland, Slovenia, and Croatia in suitable wet woodland and floodplain habitats. (Wikipedia)
🏞 Habitat & Behavior
- Prefers humid forests, riparian woods, wetlands, and slow‑moving water bodies where it breeds.
- Most active during wetter conditions and breeds in shallow water between late winter and early spring. (Torbiere del Sebino)
⚠️ Conservation Status
- Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to drastic population declines.
- Major threats include habitat loss, fragmentation, pollution, agricultural water use, and invasive species.
- Some local populations have even disappeared entirely despite legal protections. (Wikipedia)
🐣 Life & Reproduction
- Males and females gather at suitable breeding sites in late winter.
- Females lay a single cluster of hundreds to a couple thousand eggs in shallow water. (animalia.bio)
Quick facts at a glance:
- Scientific name: Rana latastei (Wikipedia)
- Family: Ranidae (true frogs) (Wikipedia)
- IUCN status: Vulnerable (Wikipedia)
- Range: Northern Italy and nearby regions (animalia.bio)
If you want, I can also explain how to identify the Italian agile frog compared with other similar European frogs.
