The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) is a widespread water frog in Georgia. It belongs to the true frogs (Ranidae). At species level, adult body length is usually about 6–12 cm, and females are often larger than males. This page does not have a complete measured series for Georgia. The species is not venomous to people. Globally, IUCN lists it as Least Concern. In Georgia it occurs in ponds, lakes, canals, puddles, slow streams, and other water bodies, including in settled places. Older sources may use the name Rana ridibunda. The current Georgian checklist uses Pelophylax ridibundus.
Identification
How to identify Marsh Frog
A medium to large water frog with smooth skin, a horizontal pupil, and long hind legs. It has no sticky toe pads. In Georgia it is most often confused with the long-legged wood frog.
Often confused with
The body is stocky, the hind legs are long, and the toes are webbed. The toe tips lack sticky discs, which helps separate it from treefrogs. At species level, adult marsh frogs are usually about 6–12 cm from snout to vent. Females are often larger than males. This page does not have a complete measured dataset for Georgia.
The back may be green, olive, grey, or brownish and often has dark spots. Many individuals also have a pale stripe down the middle of the back. The belly is pale and may have dark spots. Colour is quite variable, so identifying the species from green colour alone is not reliable.
The pupil is horizontal, the eardrum is clearly visible, and two distinct skin folds run along the sides of the back. Males have a pair of grey vocal sacs at the corners of the mouth. These traits help identification, but body shape, size, and habitat should be considered together.
The long-legged wood frog (Rana macrocnemis) is more connected with forests and land, and it often has a dark temporal patch behind the eye. The marsh frog is much more tied to water and often jumps straight into water when disturbed. Separating them only by leg proportions is not reliable, so use several characters together.
Eastern and yellow-lemon treefrogs are smaller and have sticky discs on the toe tips, which help them climb plants. Toads have more warty skin and large glands behind the eyes. The Caucasian parsley frog and eastern spadefoot have vertical pupils.
The marsh frog is closely tied to water. It occurs in canals, streams, puddles, ponds, and lakes. It is especially common on open, well-warmed banks with vegetation cover. The species also occurs in village and city water bodies. In Georgia it is recorded from lowlands and mountain areas, though it is rare in the high subalpine and alpine belts of the Greater Caucasus. Some sources record it above 2,500 m above sea level. That is a broad-range datum and does not mean the species is common everywhere at that elevation.
Biology
Diet, behavior, and conservation
Diet
The marsh frog's diet in Georgia has not been fully studied separately. At species level, adults mainly catch aquatic and shoreline invertebrates, especially insects. Large individuals may sometimes eat another amphibian, a small fish, or another small vertebrate. Tadpoles feed mainly on algae, detritus, and small invertebrates.
Behavior
By day it often sits at the water's edge or on the water surface. When threatened, it quickly jumps into the water. It is most active in the warm season. The breeding period changes with place and elevation. In the Tbilisi lowlands, males may already be calling in late March, and egg-laying has been recorded from spring into autumn. In Borjomi Canyon and the southern highlands, the season starts later and is shorter. These are data from individual places, not one national calendar for all of Georgia. Males have a pair of vocal sacs at the corners of the mouth, and their calls can be heard from far away. If you meet a frog, leave it in place and do not move it between water bodies.
Conservation
IUCN lists the marsh frog globally as Least Concern. It is not included in Georgia's 2014 Red List. It also occurs in settled places and tolerates some environmental change, but local populations can be harmed if a water body dries, banks are destroyed, or breeding sites are lost. There are different taxonomic approaches to Pelophylax bedriagae. In this atlas, Pelophylax ridibundus is used for Georgian populations.
Yes. The marsh frog is a confirmed and widespread species in Georgia. Records are known from different parts of the country.
The marsh frog occurs at ponds, lakes, canals, puddles, and slow streams. It lives in lowlands and foothills, and may also be found in village and city water bodies. It is rare in high subalpine and alpine zones.
No. The marsh frog has no venom and does not pose a danger to people. There is no need to catch it. If you touch one, wash your hands with soap and water.
Look for smooth skin, a horizontal pupil, long hind legs, and webbed toes. It has no sticky discs on the toe tips. It is often green or olive with dark spots on the back, but colour is variable.
The marsh frog is more closely tied to water and is often green or olive. The long-legged wood frog (Rana macrocnemis) is more often found in forest and on land, and it often has a dark temporal patch behind the eye.
At species level, adult marsh frogs are usually about 6–12 cm in body length. Females are generally larger than males. This page does not have a complete measured series for Georgia.
It is most active in the warm season and mainly near water. Breeding time changes with elevation and place — the season starts earlier in lowlands and later, with a shorter window, at higher sites.
Not in this atlas. Georgia's current checklist uses Pelophylax ridibundus, while P. bedriagae is not accepted as a separate species. Use the name Pelophylax ridibundus for field identification.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Tarkhnishvili, Todua & Iankoshvili 2024 — Pelophylax ridibundus species complex in the Caucasus
- Tarkhnishvili 1996 — The distribution and ecology of the amphibians of Georgia and the Caucasus
- Tarkhnishvili & Gokhelashvili 1999 — The amphibians of the Caucasus
- Tarkhnishvili 1993 — Anurans of Borjomi Canyon
- Frost — Amphibian Species of the World (Pelophylax ridibundus)
- AmphibiaWeb — Pelophylax ridibundus
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group — Pelophylax ridibundus
- საქართველოს მთავრობის დადგენილება №190 (2014) — წითელი ნუსხა
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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