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Is this animal common in Ireland?

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  • 11-02-2013 1:36am
    #1
    booklova
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭


    Hi, around 11 am this morning I came across a giant red frog. It was on the walkway outside a factory building. It was about size of my fist. I managed to take a photo with my mobile, never seen anything like it! Is this a common species in Ireland?

    http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/5381/img20130210135857.jpg


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    #2
    Ziphius
    Registered Users Posts: 714 ✭✭✭Ziphius


    Nice picture. Though to me it looks like your garden or common frog (Rana temporaria), albeit unusually coloured. It's one of three species of amphibian in Ireland. The others are the natterjack toad and the smooth newt.


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    #3
    Hollzy
    Registered Users Posts: 354 ✭✭Hollzy


    From Wikipedia...
    Adult common frogs have a body length of 6 to 9 centimetres (2.4 to 3.5 in)[2] and their backs and flanks vary in colour, with olive green[3] grey-brown, brown, olive-brown, grey, yellowish or rufous possible.[4] However, common frogs are known to be able to lighten and darken their skin in order to match their surroundings.[3] It is also not unknown for more unusual colouration- both black and red individuals have been found in Scotland, and male common frogs have been known to turn greyish blue in the mating season


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    #4
    booklova
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭booklova


    Thank you for your response, and yes, I guess you're right - it has just changed color for the mating time, however, it looked tropical ;) so I hoped this summer will be something different .


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    #5
    aidoh
    Registered Users Posts: 620 ✭✭✭aidoh


    It's very fat looking for a frog. It's probably a female ready to explode a load of eggs all over the shop.


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    #6
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    Used to catch frogs as a kid and odd time come across red frogs and black ones too


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    #7
    maria_81
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 56 ✭✭maria_81


    booklova wrote: »
    Thank you for your response, and yes, I guess you're right - it has just changed color for the mating time, however, it looked tropical ;) so I hoped this summer will be something different .

    Based on the wikipedia excerpt above, the colour change would either be due to mating or changing to suit the surroundings.

    Where exactly was it? Was it near any leaves or anything?

    I guess as it's breeding season it was related to that though!

    Thanks for the pic btw.:)


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