Pelophylax

Pelophylax is a genus of true frogs in the family Ranidae. It includes several frog species commonly referred to as pool frogs or green frogs. The genus was formerly embedded within Rana, but contemporary classifications treat Pelophylax as a distinct taxon. Species within Pelophylax are distributed across Europe and Asia, occupying a variety of freshwater habitats.

Members of Pelophylax are typically associated with ponds, marshes, streams, and floodplains, including anthropogenic aquatic environments. They are generally medium-sized, with coloration ranging from greenish to brown or gray, and they rely on aquatic habitats for breeding. Reproduction is tied to warm months in temperate regions, with eggs laid in clusters or strings in still or slow-moving water. Tadpoles develop in the water, eventually metamorphosing into juvenile frogs.

A notable aspect of the genus is the Pelophylax esculentus complex, commonly known as the edible frog. This lineage results from hybridization between Pelophylax ridibundus (marsh frog) and Pelophylax lessonae (pool frog). In many areas, hybrid populations propagate through hybridogenesis, a reproductive mechanism in which one parental genome is excluded from the gametes, allowing continued persistence of hybrids alongside parental species.

Conservation status within Pelophylax varies by species and region. Some populations are widespread and common, while others are restricted to fragments of suitable habitat and face threats from habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species. Ongoing taxonomic and ecological research continues to refine species limits and distribution patterns within the genus.