redlegged

Redlegged is an English adjective used in biology to describe organisms with red coloration on their legs. It appears most often in common names rather than as a formal taxonomic designation. The term is usually hyphenated as red-legged; some older sources may spell it as redlegged.

California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) is a widely cited example. Native to the western United States, it has a reddish hue on its hind legs that gives the species its name. It is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, with populations affected by habitat loss, disease, and introduced species.

Red-legged frog (Rana aurora), commonly referred to as the northern red-legged frog in some classifications, occurs along the Pacific coast of North America. Taxonomic revisions place it in Rana or Lithobates depending on the authority. It should not be confused with R. draytonii.

Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) is another well-known example. This ground-dwelling bird is native to southern Europe and parts of North Africa and has conspicuous red extremities of legs and facial skin. It has been widely introduced elsewhere for hunting.

Beyond these examples, numerous regional species and local names use red-legged to denote leg coloration. The descriptor serves to distinguish visually similar species that differ in leg color rather than close evolutionary relationships; as a result, red-legged is a descriptive rather than taxonomic term.