bio.wikisort.org - Animal

Poland is inhabited by 18 amphibian species. They include five species of newts and salamanders from a single family, Salamandridae, as well as 13 frog and toad species from five families—Bombinatoridae, Bufonidae, Hylidae, Pelobatidae and Ranidae. All of them are protected by law.[1]

List of species

Order Caudata

Family Salamandridae

Salamandridae, or true salamanders, are a family of terrestrial and aquatic salamanders, mostly distributed in Asia and Europe, although some species are found in North Africa and North America. Most species have slightly toxic skin secretions and many develop dorsal body and tail fins when they return to an aquatic stage. There are 109 species in 21 genera; of them, five species in four genera are found in Poland.[2]

Salamandridae

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status[a]	Image
Lissotriton montandoni	Carpathian newt	Occurs in the southern areas of the Subcarpathian, Silesian, and Lesser Poland voivodeships[3]	LC [4]
Lissotriton vulgaris	smooth newt	Found in the whole country, most commonly in the lowlands, usually up to 1500 m altitude[5] (1087 m in the Tatra Mountains, and 1250 m in the Karkonosze)[6]	LC [7]
Mesotriton alpestris	Alpine newt	Occurs in the Sudetes, the Carpathians, and the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, up to 1700 m altitude; in the Polish regions of the Tatra Mountains, it can be found at up to 1665 m altitude, in the Small Polish Pond of the Valley of the Five Polish Ponds; it is also fairly common in the Smreczyński Pond and the Gąsienicowa Valley[8]	LC [9]
Salamandra salamandra	fire salamander	Occurs at altitudes of 250 m to 1087 m in the Carpathian and the Sudety mountains,[10] and up to 1000 m, rarely 1300 m, in the Tatra Mountains[11]	LC [12]
Triturus cristatus	northern crested newt	Found in the whole country,[13] usually up to 300 m altitude, except the highest regions of the Tatra and the Sudety mountains[14]	LC [15]

Order Anura

Family Bombinatoridae

Bombinatoridae are an Old World toad family often referred to as fire-bellied toads because of their brightly coloured ventral sides which demonstrate their high toxicity. It includes ten species in two genera, Barbourula and Bombina, both of which have flattened bodies, of which two species from genus Bombina occur in Poland.[16]

Bombinatoridae

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status	Image
Bombina bombina	European fire-bellied toad	Occurs in the lowlands of the country, but not en masse; up to 400 m attitude[8]	LC [17]
Bombina variegata	yellow-bellied toad	Occurs primarily in the Carpathian Mountains[18] and on their foothils, as well as in isolated localities in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland;[19] according to other sources, it can also be found on the eastern foothils of the Sudetes and on the Krakowsko-Chrzanowski ridge[20]	LC [21]

Family Bufonidae

Bufonidae are a family of toads native to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Bufonidae include the typical toads with shortened forelimbs, hindlimbs used for walking or hopping, dry warty skin, and parotoid glands behind eyes. The family contains 590 species in 50 genera, of which 3 species from genus Bufo are found in Poland.[22]

Bufonidae

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status	Image
Bufo bufo	common toad	Found in the whole country[23]	LC [23]
Bufo viridis	European green toad	Found in the whole country, except the southernmost regions[24] (according to some sources, it occurs rarely, if at all, in the Tatra Mountains,[25] up to 1000 m attitude;[26] it is commonly found on the southern slopes of the Pieniny mountains[25])	LC [24]
Bufo calamita	natterjack toad	Found in the whole country, except the Carpathian Mountains[27]	LC [27]

Family Hylidae

Hylidae or tree frogs are the most diverse amphibian family with 951 species in 51 genera, and worldwide distribution. Most species inhabit tropical areas with warm and humid climate, especially the Neotropics. Hylids range from small to large in size and usually have distinct adhesive toe discs that contain a cartilage offsetting the terminal phalanx, which aids in climbing. The only genus found in Europe is Hyla, with 6 species out of 37 worldwide, and one in Poland.[28]

Hylidae

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status	Image
Hyla arborea	European tree frog	Common in the whole country[29]	LC [30]

Family Pelobatidae

Pelobatidae, also known as spadefoot toads, are a small family of frogs with one genus and four species spread in Europe, Western Asia and North-western Africa. They have short legs, stocky bodies with vertical pupils and produce an odour similar to garlic. One of the four species inhabits the country.[31]

Pelobatidae

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status	Image
Pelobates fuscus	common spadefoot	Occurs in the lowlands of the country, but not en masse; absent in the mountains[8]	LC [32]

Family Ranidae

Ranidae are a widespread family also known as true frogs. They have generalized frog body plans and a generalized aquatic tadpole stage. The family includes 379 species in 14 genera, of which six species in two genera occur in Poland.[31]

Ranidae

Species	Common name	Distribution	Status	Image
Pelophylax kl. esculentus	edible frog	Occurs in the lowlands of the country, up to 800 m attitude[33][34]	LC [35]
Pelophylax lessonae	pool frog	Found in the whole country, up to 800 m altitude[36][37]	LC [36]
Pelophylax ridibundus	marsh frog	Although rare, it can be found in the lowlands of the country[8]	LC [38]
Rana dalmatina	agile frog	Occurs in southeastern Poland, mainly in the southern regions of the Sandomierz Basin and on the adjacent Carpathian Foothills[39]	LC [40]
Rana temporaria	common frog	Found in the whole country[41]	LC [41]
Rana arvalis	moor frog	Common species in the lowlands of the country[8]	LC [42]

See also

• Geography of Poland
• List of birds of Poland
• List of mammals of Poland
• List of reptiles of Poland

Footnotes

Notes

^ a: Conservation status at a world level (not exclusive to Poland) of the species according to the IUCN Red List: Conservation status - IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:

 EX  - Extinct,  EW  - Extinct in the wild

 CR  - Critically endangered,  EN  - Endangered,  VU  - Vulnerable

 NT  - Near threatened,  LC  - Least concern

 DD  - Data deficient,  NE  - Not evaluated

Citations

External links

• Mazzei, P. "Amphibians and reptiles of Europe". Retrieved March 25, 2016.
• "AmphibiaWeb". Retrieved March 25, 2016.
• "The IUNC List of Threatened Species". Retrieved March 25, 2016.

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