Amphibians
Iberian Water Frog
Pelophylax perezi · also called Perez's frog
Through the driest, hottest weeks of an Iberian summer, when most amphibians have retreated into whatever shade or moisture they can find, an irrigation ditch running beside a farm field stays loud with the calls of Iberian water frogs entirely unbothered by conditions that would silence most of their relatives.
Overview
The Iberian water frog, Pelophylax perezi, is a heat-tolerant amphibian native to wetland and grassland habitat across Spain, Portugal, and adjacent parts of southern France. Its unusual comfort in hot, dry conditions, readiness to colonise artificial water bodies, and loud, far-carrying call make it one of the most adaptable and successful frogs on the Iberian Peninsula.
A frog built for a demanding climate
While many amphibians depend on consistently cool, moist conditions, the Iberian water frog has adapted to a climate that turns hot and dry for much of the year, a tolerance that has let it thrive in farmland habitat many other frogs simply cannot use.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and abundant across suitable wetland and grassland habitat throughout the Iberian Peninsula, aided by its tolerance for artificial water bodies.
Iberian Water Frog: common questions
Why does the Iberian water frog tolerate heat so well?
This species remains active and calling through the hot, dry summer conditions typical of much of the Iberian Peninsula, a period when many other European amphibians retreat into inactivity, an adaptation that likely reflects the species' long evolutionary history in a climate considerably warmer and drier than that of many other European frog relatives further north.
Why is the Iberian water frog so common around farmland?
This species readily colonises irrigation ditches, farm ponds, and other artificial water sources, tolerating disturbed conditions considerably better than many other frog species, which has allowed it to remain widespread and abundant even as natural wetland habitat has been altered by agricultural development across much of its range.
How is the Iberian water frog related to other European water frogs?
This species belongs to the same genus as several other European water frogs, including the pool frog and marsh frog, and because these species can sometimes hybridise where their ranges overlap, distinguishing individuals reliably occasionally requires close attention to subtle physical or genetic differences rather than appearance alone.
What does the Iberian water frog's call sound like?
Males produce a loud, harsh, repetitive call capable of carrying a considerable distance, and because this species often breeds in dense aggregations around suitable water, a chorus of calling males can become quite loud and continuous, particularly around farm ponds and irrigation ditches during the breeding season.