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Gravid female common frog

Before egg-laying the abdomen of females is rounded of eggs

(photo: Tibor Kovács)

The length of the COMMON FROG may exceed 10 cm. Its hind limbs are shorter than those of the agile frog; when the shins are bent forward at the knee-joint the heel-joint reaches the level of the eyes. Males have remarkably powerful and thick front legs. Its snout is blunt. Its brown base colouration may have a greyish, yellowish or reddish shade. It may also have some black spots on the back or a mottled dorsal pattern. It also has the characteristic stripe of brown frogs across the eyes. The hind limbs have dark transversal stripes like those of the agile frog. Common frog has a darkly mottled belly and black blotches between the sides and the belly. Around these blotches sulphur-yellow or brick-red areas can be found at the flanks, creating a colourful pattern.

Distibution map by our National Herpetological Mapping Program:

Male and female common frogs in amplexus

Males tend to grab females already on the ground on their way to breeding sites. Males turning more or less grey while their throat has a hue of violet.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Common frog male

A robust species; from above its shorter hindlimbs and rounded snout are clearly visible.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Breeding common frogs

The common frogs are among the first amphibians appearing in spring.

(photo: Gábor Szelényi)

Breeding aggregation of common frogs

They can be observed in large masses in their short breeding season.

(photo: Gábor Szelényi)

Egg clutch of common frog

A clutch can contain up to 4000 eggs.

(photo: Gábor Szelényi)

Egg mass of common frogs

Egg clutches laid down close to each other, and after some time they tend to attach together.

(photo: Tibor Kovács)

Male common frog on its way to the breeding site

In the breeding season males turn into steel-grey and their white throat has a hue of violet.

(photo: Tibor Kovács)

Gyepi béka

Hátsó lábai az erdei békáénál rövidebbek, térdben előrehajtva a bokaízület szemmagasságig ér.

(Fotó: Halpern Bálint)

Common frog tadpoles

Its slender tadpoles are speckled with white on a dark brown background.

(photo: Róbert Dankovics)