11 Types of FROGS Found in Spain! (w/Pics)
Do you want to learn about the different frogs in Spain?
If so, you’ve come to the right place! In the article below, I have listed the frogs you can expect to see. For each species, you’ll find out how to identify that frog correctly, along with pictures, interesting facts, and RANGE MAPS!
11 types of frogs that live in Spain:
#1. Iberian Painted Frog
- Discoglossus galganoi
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 8 cm long.
- They have a relatively small head and protruding eyes, and their feet are minimally webbed. Their skin is smooth with just a few warts.
- Their coloring is highly variable; shades of brown, reddish-brown, gray, and olive are all common.
- Dark spots with lighter edges are nearly always present.
Look for Iberian Painted Frogs in Spain in small bodies of water.
Temporary ponds, low-flowing streams, and cisterns are the most likely habitats for this species. Occasionally, they’re even found in brackish water. While native to northern Africa, they have been released into parts of Western Spain.
Interestingly, Painted Frogs are closely associated with artificial water sources and are often found in ditches, drainage areas, and other locations frequented by humans. Unfortunately, it can be tough to spot them because they’re shy and quick to flee from any disturbance.
Painted Frogs will estivate (become less active) during dry conditions when their water source disappears. Less frequently, they hibernate during cold snaps and then become active again as the weather warms.
#2. Painted Frog
- Discoglossus pictus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 8 cm long.
- They have a relatively small head and protruding eyes, and their feet are minimally webbed. Their skin is smooth with just a few warts.
- Their coloring is highly variable; shades of brown, reddish-brown, gray, and olive are all common.
- Dark spots with lighter edges are nearly always present and sometimes form large dark patches with a light stripe down the middle of the back.
You can find Painted Frogs in Spain in small bodies of water.
They’re very closely related to Iberian Painted Frogs, aside from the different Identifying Characteristics.
For more information about the Painted Frog, read about the Iberian Painted Frog in the previous section.
#3. Common Frog
- Rana temporaria
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 11 cm long.
- They have a short, blunt snout and partially webbed feet.
- Their coloring varies, from nearly black to pale brown, sometimes red or yellowish. The most typical markings are a white upper lip and a dark patch behind the eye.
The Common Frog is the most widespread frog in Spain.
It lives in nearly every habitat with stagnant water, including ponds, ditches, flooded meadows, and swamps. So if you have a pond in your garden, this species is most likely using it.
Common Frogs breed explosively, meaning that hundreds of these frogs gather together and breed simultaneously. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see the bottom of entire ponds covered in frog eggs during the breeding season.
Their unusual breeding strategy means young frogs emerge in unbelievable numbers during late summer. However, some late-hatching tadpoles hibernate over winter and emerge the following spring instead.
#4. Iberian Stream Frog
- Rana iberica
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 6 cm long.
- This species has a blunt snout, partially webbed feet, and large eyes with horizontal pupils.
- Their coloring is brown overall, with black mottling and some white spots.
- A dark black patch behind the eye is underlined in white.
Look for these frogs in Spain near small waterfalls and under rocks.
Iberian Stream Frogs prefer the fast-moving, oxygenated water of streams and small rivers. They’re a high-elevation species and sometimes even occur above the tree-line in mountain areas. Most individuals of this species hibernate during the cold season, but some Iberian Stream Frogs are active all year in the right conditions.
Another way to recognize this frog is its distinctive call. It makes a hoarse, low-pitched grunt. Some observers have compared it to the sound of a burp!
#5. Agile Frog
- Rana dalmatina
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are 8 cm long.
- This species has a slender body and long legs.
- Coloring is light brown above, with pale cream to white on the belly. The legs are banded with dark brown or black, and they have a black patch behind the eye.
The Agile Frog is one species that has EARNED its common name. This large, light-colored frog can leap incredible distances when disturbed. It’s known to cover up to two meters in a single bound!
Look for Agile Frogs in Spain on land near ditches, ponds, and flooded meadows. They are active day and night and spend most of their time hunting for beetles, their main food source.
To recognize this species’ distinct call, listen for a five- to ten-second, high-pitched cry. It often calls in a series, with each note becoming longer, higher-pitched, and further spaced.
#6. Iberian Water Frog
- Pelophylax perezi
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults can grow up to 15 cm long, but up to 12 cm is more typical.
- They have a pointed snout, robust body, and long, powerful legs.
- This species’ coloring is dark green to olive, fading to brown on the sides and legs.
- They have black blotches across the body, which form bands on the hind legs.
Look for Iberian Water Frogs in Spain in permanent water bodies.
Although they prefer deep water, they’re also found in streams, ponds, and sometimes ditches.
Although you shouldn’t have trouble spotting an Iberian Water Frog, you might have a harder time identifying one. This is because it’s often confused with its close relatives, the Graf’s Hybrid Frog and the Marsh Frog. The Iberian Water Frog is the smallest of the three, but the best way to differentiate these species is by your location.
You can also listen for the Iberian Water Frog’s distinctive voice, a loud rattling noise that can last for several seconds.
#7. Graf’s Hybrid Frog
- Pelophylax kl. grafi
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults can grow up to 15 cm long.
- They have a slightly rounded snout, robust body, and long, powerful legs.
- This species’ coloring is dark green to olive, with black blotches across the body, which form bands on the hind legs.
Look for Graf’s Hybrid Frogs in Spain in deep, permanent water bodies.
The most likely places to find them are lakes and larger rivers.
Although you shouldn’t have trouble spotting a Graf’s Hybrid Frog, you might have a harder time identifying one. This is because it’s often confused with its close relatives, the Iberian Water Frog and the Marsh Frog. In fact, this species is a hybrid of the two!
The process by which a Graf’s Hybrid Frog reproduces is fascinating. Although males and females do reproduce, none of the male’s genetic material is passed to the offspring. So, in essence, the female creates genetic clones!
Click here to read more about this interesting process called Gynogenesis.
#8. Iberian Tree Frog
- Hyla molleri
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 5 cm long.
- This species has very long, thin legs. Its toes are long with little webbing, and its horizontal pupils are set in golden brown eyes.
- The most typical coloring is a bright grassy green, but some individuals are brownish or gray.
The Iberian Tree Frog has an interesting talent; it’s a bit of a meteorologist! Believe it or not, these bright green frogs were once used to determine if it was going to rain. They often croak loudly when storms draw near because they can sense the change in air pressure.
There are only a few species of tree frog in Spain.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell them apart because they all look similar. The best way to tell them apart is by location.
You can identify it by its bright green coloring or listen for its metallic, high-pitched croaks. This little frog is so loud it can be heard from as far away as a kilometer or more!
#9. Stripeless Tree Frog
- Hyla meridionalis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 6.5 cm long.
- This species has very long, thin legs. Its toes are long with little webbing, and its horizontal pupils are set in golden brown eyes.
- The most typical coloring is a bright grassy green, but some individuals are brownish or gray.
- The side stripes on other European tree frogs are noticeably absent in this species.
The Stripeless Tree Frog is very closely related to the Iberian Tree Frog listed above.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell them apart because they look similar. The best way to tell the Stripeless Tree Frog apart is to look at its sides. You’ll notice it’s missing the stripes that are apparent on other species.
You can also listen for its metallic, high-pitched croaks. This little frog is so loud it can be heard from as far away as a kilometer or more!
#10. Iberian Parsley Frog
- Pelodytes ibericus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 4 cm long.
- Squat, with long, slip legs and unwebbed feet. Their large eyes have a golden tint and vertical pupils.
- Their coloring is gray, green, or yellow with dark green spots. Their undersides are white, but breeding males’ throats may appear blue.
Look for Iberian Parsley frogs near open water with plenty of sunlight. They prefer sandy or limestone-rich soil.
Finding and studying Iberian Parsley Frogs is difficult because they’re nocturnal and very secretive. Turn over rocks or refuse near their water source to try and spot one during the day. If disturbed, they dive into the water and hide in the mud at the bottom.
Despite being a semi-aquatic species, Iberian Parsley Frogs are skilled climbers! The skin on their undersides is similar to a tree frog’s, which allows them to climb smooth surfaces such as plant stems and garden walls. Typically they only climb during the night.
#11. Pyrenean Stream Frog
- Rana pyrenaica
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 5 cm long.
- This species has a blunt snout, partially webbed feet, and large eyes with round pupils.
- Their coloring is brown overall, with faint black mottling on the legs.
- A dark black patch behind the eye is underlined in white.
Pyrenean Stream Frogs prefer the fast-moving, oxygenated water of small streams. They’re a high-elevation species and sometimes even occur above the tree-line in mountain areas.
Look for these frogs in Europe near small waterfalls and under rocks.
Most individuals of this species hibernate during the cold season, but some Pyrenean Stream Frogs are active all year in the right conditions.
Another way to recognize this frog is its distinctive call. It makes a hoarse, low-pitched grunt. Some observers have compared it to the sound of a burp!
If you need additional help identifying frogs in Spain, check out this field guide!
Do you want to learn more about animals in Spain?
Check out these other ID Guides!
- The 30 MOST Common Birds Found in Spain!
- The 13 Types of Snakes That Live in Spain! (ID Guide)
- 43 Amazing ANIMALS to see in Spain! (ID guide w/ pics)
- The Incredible LIZARDS that live in Spain
Which of these frogs have you seen before in Spain?
Leave a COMMENT below!
