Confirming Lessona’s brown frogs distribution sketch: Rana temporaria is present on Turin Hills (Piedmont, NW Italy)

Abstract

The presence of Rana temporaria on Turin Hills (Piedmont NW Italy) has been confirmed through morphological and molecular analyses. Breeding individuals of this species were found at two sites and assessed by either morpho-chromatic and genetics. This new finding represents an interesting confirmation of ancient record reported in 1877 by the renowned naturalist Michele Lessona, and highlights that the species is likely quite cryptical and secretive and has a distribution wider than formerly presumed.

Keywords

• Common frog
• Rana temporaria
• new findings
• Turin Hills
• NW Italy