History and origin
The Painted frog was first described by Otth in 1837, the scientific name of this species is Discoglossus pictus. Discoglossus comes from Greek and is composed of two words, the first meaning 'disc' and the second meaning 'tongue', this name is given because of their disc-like tongue. Pictus comes from Latin and means 'painted' this is given because of it's dorsal pattern which looks like something painted.
Characteristics
They are characterised by its neat blotched patterns bordered by a light colour making a very beautiful appearance in most animals (some have less vivid patterns).
Description =Size=
- Eggs: The eggs measure about 5 mm in diameter.
- Tadpoles: The tadpoles measure 35 mm long maximum.
- Juveniles: The juveniles measure 10 mm long at least when they exit the water.
- Adults: Adults measure up to 80 mm long. =Morphology=
- Eggs: They are laid in separate balls in small clutches of up to 50 eggs. Total eggs laid is up to 1500.
- Tadpoles: Tail doesn't come on top of the back. The tail is about 1.5 times the body length. Eyes are almost on the back, they are very close to one another. Tail ends rounded.
- Adults: They appear stretched, flattened and pointed at the snout. Their head is flattened and makes the eyes seem prominent. Their skin is very smooth, however they do have a series of discrete, elongated wart-like skin texture that runs along the top of the flanks, this can also be described as the dorsal-lateral fold that is broken into many sections. Along the top of the back they also have small discrete warts. They have a rounded pupil. They don't have any vocal sacs. They do not have any paratoid glands. =Patterns & colours=
- Eggs: They are small black embryos inside a transparent casing.
- Tadpoles: They are gray, brown, blackish, the tail is lighter.
- Adults: The pattern is made up of round disc-like blotches all over the back, there is always a line linking the two eyes together, this line runs over the head. The colour is extremely variable, background colour is usually light gray, yellowish, greenish, brownish... In most specimens the blotch-like patterns described earlier are a darker shade of the background colour of that specimen. These blotches are outlined by a light thin line which is often whitish. Quite rarely a specimen may develop a 'bilineata' form, where in stead of having blotches, they have a light line running down the middle of the back, and usually two light lines that run along the top of the flanks. The eyes are light and silvery on the upper half, and dark on the lower half. Their bellies are light coloured, mostly whitish but sometimes slightly yellowish.
Geographical range In Europe they are found in Catalonia (NE Spain) and lower Languedoc Roussillon (France), on Sicily, Malta and Gozo (a small island close to Malta).
Subspecies
- auritus - Found in Spain and France.
- pictus - Found on Sicily, Malta ad Gozo.
Sexual differences
Males of this species are, as a contrast to other amphibian male/female comparison, larger then the females. Males have smoother skin then the females and have dark nuptial pads on the first two fingers as well as on the inside of the third finger. They also have dark patches on the throat, chest and on the toes. Females and young specimens have 1/4 average webbing of their hind feet, whereas males have up to 3/4 webbing when they are sexually matured.
Seasonal variations
The darkness of the nuptial pads described in 'sexual differences' varies in function with the breeding season, being darker during that period.
Diet
They feed on: 1/2 larva and adult insects; 1/4 of Mollusk (slugs...); other prey includes spiders, ants, ladybirds...
Defensive habits
When they feel threatened they flee and try to hide in the closest place. If they are in the water then the dive and submerge themselves into the mud of dense vegetation or under rocks. If caught they will excrete a very sticky yet liquid fluid from their anal area, this is as it seems defensive and may be toxic for small animals and birds.
Reproduction
The breeding season starts in January, the eggs are laid from January until May the same female can breed up to three times a year until autumn, this happens at night. The males start singing from dusk. The male will sing and jump all over the place until he encounters a female, once he's spotted the female he'll jump onto her back (in the water) and the he will hold her and squeeze her strongly on her stomach at the same time he releases a small dose of sperm under the female, the squeezing appears to help the female eject her eggs (unfertilised & around about 20 to 50 eggs, at a time) when the eggs pass through the small pocket of sperm they are all fertilized. Once the first lot of eggs fall from the female onto the bottom of the water, the male will leave the female. The female may go to ground and take a break until the next lot of eggs are on their way out, by that time the female has usually already found another male who will take his turn to fertilize the newly ejected eggs. This may all be over within 24 hours and the cycle may be repeated up to three times a year. At night the males hide near the laying area as if they were protecting their eggs. This happens most often at the river, however they do also breed in ponds, but this is less common.
Sexual maturity, life span
The average life span for Discoglossus pictus is about 13 years, they reach their sexual maturity in their second year.
Habits
This species can be active all year round if the conditions allow it to be. They are usually active when the temperature is above 9 C but can be active a around 0 C at the beginning of the breeding season. The juveniles are active only when the humidity is 70% or higher. The adults are active by day as by night.
Call
A discrete small, rapid, growling-like 'laugh' resembling 'rar-rar-rar', they make this call when either under the water or at it's surface, sound (p)www.oreilleverte.com:
Habitat
They are found usually under the altitude of 390 m, their habitat selection can be away from water but never far, these places may include camping sites, gardens, abandoned, old, once cultivated land and plantations (apple, peach...). They can also be found closer to water holes in ponds and close to rivers.
Predators
The eggs and tadpoles are in danger from water insects and the Viperine snake (Natrix maura). Adults are often hunted by birds and Viperine snakes (Natrix maura).
In Europe they are found in Catalonia (NE Spain) and lower Languedoc Roussillon (France), on Sicily, Malta and Gozo (a small island close to Malta). 
