Rana arvalis Nilsson, Viviparous Lizard 1842

• Main Author: Elmberg, Johan
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2023
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Amphibia; Anura; Ranidae; Rana; Rana arvalis; Danasjö; Haparanda; Kulijärvi; Lule Lappmark; Sandskär; Torne Lappmark; North Sweden; Norrbotten
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8030424; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BE87CBFF834A6DB8887DB34028FD4C

Moor Frog Rana arvalis Nilsson 1842 Distribution (Figure 6). Included records from Artportalen (N=650): as confusion with Rana temporaria is possible, reports from the Alpine region, the Northern Boreal region and all offshore sites were included only if substantiated by photos, concern calling males, or made by known experienced observers. Reports from the Southern and Middle Boreal were all included. Widespread and common in the Southern and Middle Boreal. For unknown reasons more abundant in landscapes with flatter topography (Sterner 2005; Elmberg 2008), a pattern also noted in Finland (Terhivuo 1981). Widespread but less common in the Northern Boreal, scarce in its higher parts. The northernmost Swedish record is at Kulijärvi, Torne lappmark (67° 50’ N, 21° 40’ E; Elmberg 1984). Previous records from the Alpine region (e.g., Elmberg 1995) are now considered as unconfirmed and not valid. The highest known records are very close to the border between the Northern Boreal and the Alpine regions: 580–600 m altitude at Danasjö-Abborrberg (Lycksele lappmark; Anders Forsgren personal communication) and 510 m at Årjep Kuossåive (Lule lappmark; Elmberg 1995; shown as an isolated occurrence in Figure 6). Offshore occurrence of this species in the Baltic is a puzzling topic. Before the period covered here, Curry-Lindahl (1956) collected specimens on Haparanda Sandskär (Norrbotten), an island situated a staggering 32 km from the mainland. It has not been found there since. There are several recent reports in the Artportalen reporting platform (see Methods) from the offshore Holmön archipelago (Västerbotten), but none is convincingly documented. To conclude, there are no recent records of this species on truly offshore islands anywhere along the Baltic coast of North Sweden. This suggests a much lower dispersal capacity over brackish water than in the two other anuran species. There are no indications of changes in distribution over the last 50 years. It should be noted, though, that the true range and abundance in North ...