Order: Anura
Family: Alytidae
The Alytidae Family, previously known as Discoglossidae, is a primitive group, diverging from other Frog groups over 200 million years ago, just before the boundary of the Triassic and Jurassic periods. This was directly after the late-Triassic mass extinction event in which a large proportion of marine species died out, and many terrestrial species were also lost, including some large amphibian species and some primitive dinosaurs.
The Alytidae contains two genera which diverged from each other in the late Jurassic period around 160 million years ago: Discoglossus, the disc-tongued frogs or painted frogs, and Alytes, the midwife toads. There are six species of painted frog, which are found around Southern Europe, northwest Africa and into the Middle East. The fact that this group is relatively small in number, while representing a long evolutionary history, means that these species represent a large amount of genetic diversity making them highly Evolutionarily Distinct.
The Alytidae contains two genera which diverged from each other in the late Jurassic period around 160 million years ago: Discoglossus, the disc-tongued frogs or painted frogs, and Alytes, the midwife toads. There are six species of painted frog, which are found around Southern Europe, northwest Africa and into the Middle East. The fact that this group is relatively small in number, while representing a long evolutionary history, means that these species represent a large amount of genetic diversity making them highly Evolutionarily Distinct.
The Hula painted frog was only ever collected on two occasions; a collection in 1940 found two individuals and two tadpoles, and a second in 1955 found a single individual. The individuals were found at separate regions on the eastern shore of Lake Huleh, northern Israel, and it is thought that the species may also have occurred in Syria on the western side of the lake. The habitat in these areas was swamp-like, the probably preferences of the Hula painted frog. No information is available on the population structure, dynamics or life history strategies for this species.
This frog was dark in colouring with small white spots on its belly. The colour on the back was in patches of ochre and rust varying to olive-grey. The head was flattened and as wide as it was long, toes not webbed, and feet webbed at the base. Two glandular ridges are present, one from the outside edge of the eye through the tympanum (external eardrum) to the base of the forelimb, and the second from the same origin by the eye, but running straight backwards. The skin on the back is warty. Of the few known specimens, the largest was 40 mm total length.
This frog was dark in colouring with small white spots on its belly. The colour on the back was in patches of ochre and rust varying to olive-grey. The head was flattened and as wide as it was long, toes not webbed, and feet webbed at the base. Two glandular ridges are present, one from the outside edge of the eye through the tympanum (external eardrum) to the base of the forelimb, and the second from the same origin by the eye, but running straight backwards. The skin on the back is warty. Of the few known specimens, the largest was 40 mm total length.
It seems that extinction of this species was a direct result of destruction of its habitat. In the 1950s the Hula wetlands were drained in an attempt to eradicate malaria from the area and to develop the land for agriculture. This drainage, along with habitat change from the termination of cattle grazing in the region, is thought to have contributed to the loss of the Hula painted frog.
Prior to drainage the area of swamp land was 6,000 hectares in area, but it wasn’t until 1964 that 300 hectares were set aside as a designated nature reserve in order to protect the species in the region. However, this was by no means near the locality where the Hula painted frog was found, and it is thought that this action was too little, and too late to save the species. The Hula painted frog has not been recorded since 1955 despite recent expeditions to the region to try and locate a population.
Prior to drainage the area of swamp land was 6,000 hectares in area, but it wasn’t until 1964 that 300 hectares were set aside as a designated nature reserve in order to protect the species in the region. However, this was by no means near the locality where the Hula painted frog was found, and it is thought that this action was too little, and too late to save the species. The Hula painted frog has not been recorded since 1955 despite recent expeditions to the region to try and locate a population.
AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation [web application]. 2006. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: amphibiaweb. Accessed: 08 December 2006.
Frost, Darrel R. 2006. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 4 (17 August 2006). Electronic Database accessible at:. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe. 2006. Global Amphibian Assessment. Global Amphibian Assessment. Accessed on 08 December 2006.
Mendelssohn, H. and Steinitz, H. 1943. A new frog from Palestine. Copeia. 1943:231-233.
Frost, Darrel R. 2006. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 4 (17 August 2006). Electronic Database accessible at:
IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe. 2006. Global Amphibian Assessment. Global Amphibian Assessment. Accessed on 08 December 2006.
Mendelssohn, H. and Steinitz, H. 1943. A new frog from Palestine. Copeia. 1943:231-233.
if you can provide new information to update this species account or to correct any errors, please email us at info@edgeofexistence.org