Discoglossus pictus Otth, 1837

Species Identification and Pattern Morphs

Discoglossus pictus Otth, 1837, commonly known as the painted frog, has three distinct body pattern variations matching its common name reference to colorful markings. The variations are: almost uniformly colored individuals, individuals with large dark spots that have bright edges, and individuals with two dark brown longitudinal bands, one bright band along the back, and two bright bands along the sides.

Body and Ventral Features

This species has a whitish belly, a stout body, and a flat head that is wider than it is long. Dorsal glands on the back are either arranged in longitudinal lines or entirely absent.

Sensory Anatomy

Its pupils have the shape of an upside-down droplet.

North Morocco Mating Timeline

In North Morocco, the mating season for D. pictus runs from January to early November. During copulation, the male clasps the female in the lumbar region.

Copulation Duration Variation

Copulation typically lasts around two hours for North Moroccan individuals, while it only lasts 35 seconds to 2 minutes in Spanish specimens. Females can lay a total of 500 to 1000 eggs in a single night.

Egg Laying Behavior

Females mate with multiple males, and after each copulation, they lay a small clump containing 20 to 50 eggs. Individual ova usually measure 1.0 to 1.5 mm in diameter, and their surrounding gelatinous envelope measures 3.7 mm.

Egg Morphology and Placement

Eggs do not share a common collective envelope, instead forming a loose mass that either rests on the water surface or sinks to the bottom. Eggs generally hatch after 2 to 6 days.

Larval Development

Newly hatched tadpoles are around 3 mm long. Over 1 to 3 months, they grow to approximately 33 mm before metamorphosing into 10 mm froglets.

Sicily Habitat

In Sicily, many populations of D. pictus live in man-made water bodies including stone-sided cisterns, irrigation pipes, and canals in cultivated areas.

Native Distribution

The native distribution of D. pictus covers Mediterranean North Africa, including northeast Morocco, northern Algeria, and Tunisia, as well as the Italian island of Sicily and the island of Malta. Introduced populations are located in northeastern Spain and southwestern France.

Taxonomic History

Discoglossus scovazzi, a species from Morocco, was previously classified as a subspecies of D. pictus. Early research thought only D. scovazzi occurred in Morocco, but later studies confirmed D. pictus is also present in the country.

Legal Protection Status

D. pictus is listed as Strictly Protected Fauna under the Bern Convention of the Council of Europe. The species is generally threatened by agricultural intensification, though populations that live along rivers, in seasonal ponds, and in swamps appear to be less endangered.

Invasive Species Impact

Introduced populations in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula may pose a threat to some native frog species, particularly in shared aquatic habitats.

North Africa Population Status

In North Africa, the species is very abundant, especially in the subhumid northern regions, and its range extends to pre-Saharan oases.

Malta Threats

Populations on Malta are reported to be threatened by falling groundwater levels. The species has been introduced multiple times to the island of Comino, but the introduced Levant water frog (Pelophylax bedriagae) in the Maltese archipelago is a direct competitor of D. pictus.

Conservation Research Needs

More data on the ecology and biology of D. pictus is needed to support effective protection of the species. At least across part of its range, D. pictus is associated with man-made water bodies.