Description
Discoglossus scovazziis a frog whose scientific name refers to their characteristic large, disc-shaped tongue. Males reach larger sizes than females (up to 70 mm vs 66 mm, respectively). The head is flat, with a pointed snout and dorsal eyes. The pupils are horizontal or heart-shaped (inverted drop). The tympanum is indistinct. Females and juveniles don't have webbing between their toes, whereas in males these are moderately developed. Males have rudimentary vocal sacs and during the breeding season present nuptial callosities and spines in their hands and gular area. The skin is generally smooth, especially ventrally (Beukema et al. 2013; Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019; Martínez del Mármol et al. 2019).

The dorsal coloration is brownish-cream, occasionally yellowish or orange, with three main pattern, which can occur simultaneously in the same population, in different proportions: uniform, spotted, or striped (three longitudinal stripes with a lighter coloration) (Beukema et al. 2013; Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019; Martínez del Mármol et al. 2019).

There are both sexual and developmental variations. Please see above for more details.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Morocco, Spain

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (19 records).

Discoglossus scovazzi is endemic to Morocco and the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in North Africa. The Moulouya river valley in East Morocco represents the eastern distribution limit for the species. The mountains of the High Atlas mark the southern range border of the species, although it expands further south along the Atlantic coast, almost up to Oued Draa. The species occurs from sea level to over 2700 m elevation, in sand dunes, maquis scrubland, steppes, alpine grasslands, oak and cedar mesic and xeric forests, but also in cultivated fields and riparian habitats in deserts. Aquatic habitats are mostly lentic, but they can also be present in slow-flowing streams. They are often present in small puddles and road ditches. They are euryhaline, successfully breeding in brackish water (Beukema et al. 2013; Bons and Geniez 1996; Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019; García Cardenete et al. 2019; Mabrouki et al. 2019; Martínez del Mármol et al. 2019; Martínez del Mármol and Donaire-Barroso 2020; Mateo et al. 2003; Mediani et al. 2015).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Their activity is largely crepuscular and nocturnal, but they can also be found active during the day, usually not far from their aquatic habitats. They are early breeders, starting with the rains in October, but can breed through the winter and spring, up to June at higher elevations. The mating call has been described by Vences and Glaw (1996). Mating takes place in the water and the amplexus is inguinal. Females can deposit up to 1000 eggs, directly in the water or attached to aquatic vegetation. Embryos hatch in 6 - 8 days and larvae complete their metamorphosis in 1 - 2 months (spring cohort) or 4 - 5 months (autumn cohort). Juveniles can often be found in the surroundings of the breeding sites and measure 8 - 12 mm at metamorphosis. Adults can aestivate during the warmer summer months. The adults prey on different invertebrates, whereas larvae are detritivores. Their main predators are different species of birds and snakes. The co-occur with other amphibian species, like Pleurodeles waltl, Hyla meridionalis or Pelophylax saharicus (Beukema et al. 2013; Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019; Martínez del Mármol et al. 2019; Martínez del Mármol and Donaire-Barroso 2020).

Larva
The eyes are dorsal and small and the spiracle is mid-ventral. They can reach up to 36 mm, with the tail about 1.5 times the body lenght. The dorsal fin is low and the tip of the tail is rounded (Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019).

The coloration is light or dark brown (Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019).

Larvae are detritivores. Larvae complete their metamorphosis in 1 - 2 months (spring cohort) or 4 - 5 months (autumn cohort). (Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019).

Trends and Threats
The global population trend is unknown, but increased aridification and agricultural development may have caused declines in lowland populations. Described threats include predation by alien crayfish, road mortality during dispersal events, and accidental trapping in irrigation structures. They are also carriers of the causal agent of chytridiomycosis, although the impact of this disease on its populations is as yet uncertain. Overall, it is a common and widespread species that is less sensitive than other amphibians to the loss of wetland habitats because of its ability to exploit a wide variety of small, temporary aquatic sites (El Mouden et al. 2011; Escoriza and Ben Hassine 2019; IUCN 2021; Martínez del Mármol and Donaire-Barroso 2020).

Relation to Humans
It is a common, generalist species that can be present in areas modified by human activities. It is not exploited commercially (IUCN 2021; Martínez del Mármol and Donaire-Barroso 2020).

Comments
After its initial description, the species was considered for a long time a subspecies of Discoglossus pictus, but successive molecular studies have conclusively shown its distinctness and reproductive isolation from D. pictus. The species is closely related to the Iberian species Discoglossus galganoi. No subspecies of D. scovazzi have been described. The fossil record of D. scovazzi comprises Pleistocene remains from different sites (0.5 - 0.1 million years ago) (Dufresnes et al. 2020; Fromhage et al. 2004; García-París and Jockusch 1999; Martínez-Solano 2004; Pabijan et al. 2012; Velo-Antón et al. 2008; Vences et al. 2014; Zangari et al. 2006).

References

Beukema, W., De Pous, P., Donaire-Barroso, D., Bogaerts, S., Garcia-Porta, J., Escoriza, D., Arribas, O. J., El Mouden, E. H., and Carranza, S. (2013). Review of the systematics, distribution, biogeography and natural history of Moroccan amphibians. Zootaxa, 3661, 1-60. [link]

Bons, J. and Geniez, P. (1996). Amphibiens et reptiles du Maroc (Sahara Occidental compris) Atlas Biogéographique. Asociación Herpetológica Española, Barcelona, Spain.

Camerano, L. 1878. Osservazioni intorno agli anfibi anuri del Marocco. Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze di Torino. Classe di Scienze Fisiche, Matematiche et Naturali, 13, 542–560.

Dufresnes, C., Pribille, M., Fumagalli, L., Gonçalves, H., Amat, F., Crochet, P.A., Dubey, S., Perrin, N., Vences, and M., Martínez-Solano, I. (2020). Integrating hybrid zone analyses in species delimitation: lessons from two anuran radiations of the Western Mediterranean. Heredity, 124, 423-438. [link]

El Mouden E. H., Slimani T., Donaire D., Fernández-Beaskoetxea S., Fisher M.C., and Bosch J. (2011). First record of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in North Africa. Herpetological Review, 42(1), 71-75. [link]

Escoriza, D., and Ben Hassine, J. (2019). Amphibians of North Africa. Academic Press, 350 pp.

Fromhage, L., Vences, M. and Veith, M. (2004). Testing alternative vicariance scenarios in Western Mediterranean discoglossid frogs. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31(1), 308-322. [link]

García-Cardenete, L., Flores M.V., Yubero, S. and Rodríguez--Rodríguez, E. (2019). Oued Noun (Morocco). Southern limit for the genus Discoglossus. Boletín de la Asociación Herpetológica Española, 30(2), 50-53. [link]

García-París, M. and Jockusch, E.L. (1999). A mitochondrial DNA perspective on the evolution of Iberian Discoglossus (Amphibia: Anura). Journal of Zoology, 248(2), 209-218. [link]

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2021). Discoglossus scovazzi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T55272A89700711. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T55272A89700711.en. Accessed on 16 July 2024.

Mabrouki, Y., A. F. Taybi, A. Skalli, and A. Sánchez-Vialas. 2019. Amphibians of the Oriental Region and the Moulouya River Basin of Morocco: distribution and conservation notes. Basic and Applied Herpetology, 33, 19–32. [link]

Martínez del Mármol G. and Donaire-Barroso D. 2020. Discoglossus scovazzi Camerano 1878. In: Martínez, G., León, R., Jiménez-Robles, O., González De la Vega, J. P., Gabari, V., Rebollo, B., Sánchez-Tójar, A., Fernández-Cardenete, J. R., Gállego, J. (Eds.). Moroccoherps. Anfibios y Reptiles de Marruecos y Sahara Occidental. Available at: www.moroccoherps.com/ficha/-discoglossus_scovazzi/. Versión 1/11/2020. (Accessed: 04 January).

Martínez del Mármol, G., Harris, D.J., Geniez, P., de Pous, P. and Salvi, D. (2019). Amphibians and Reptiles of Morocco. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt au Main.

Martínez-Solano, I. (2004). Phylogeography of Iberian Discoglossus (Anura: Discoglossidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 42, 298-305. [link]

Mateo, J.A., Pleguezuelos, J.M., Fahd, S., Geniez, P. and Martínez-Medina, F.J. (2003). Los Anfibios, los Reptiles y el Estrecho de Gibraltar. Un ensayo sobre la Herpetofauna de Ceuta y su entorno. Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes, Ceuta. [link]

Mediani, M., J. C. Brito, and S. Fahd. (2015). Atlas of the amphibians and reptiles Morocco: Updated distribution and patterns of habitat selection. Basic and Applied Herpetology, 29, 81–107 [link]

Pabijan, M., Crottini, A., Reckwell, D., Irisarri, I., Hauswaldt, S., and Vences, M. (2012). A multigene species tree for Western Mediterranean painted frogs (Discoglossus). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 64, 690–696. [link]

Reques, R., J. M. Pleguezuelos, S. D. Busack, and P. de Pous. (2013). Amphibians of Morocco, including Western Sahara: A status report. Basic and Applied Herpetology, 27, 23–50 [link]

Velo-Antón, G., Martínez-Solano, I., and García-París, M. (2008). Beta-fibrinogen intron 7 variation in Discoglossus (Anura: Discoglossidae): implications for the taxonomic assessment of morphologically cryptic species. Amphibia-Reptilia, 29 (4), 523-533. [link]

Vences, M. and Glaw, F. (1996). Further investigations on Discoglossus bioacoustics: Relationships between D. galganoi, D. g. jeanneae and D. pictus scovazzi. Amphibia-Reptilia, 17, 334–340. [link]

Vences, M., de Pous, P., Nicolas, V., Díaz-Rodríguez, J., Donaire, D., Hugemann, K., Hauswaldt, J.S., Amat, F., Barnestein, J.A.M., Bogaert, S., Bouazza, A., Carranza, S., Galán, P., González de la Vega, J.P., Joger, U., Lansari ,A., El Mouden, E.H., Ohler, A., Sanuy, D., Slimani, T. and Tejedo, M. (2014). New insights on phylogeography and distribution of painted frogs (Discoglossus) in northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Amphibia-Reptilia 35, 305-320. [link]

Zangari, F., Cimmaruta, R. and Nascetti, G. (2006). Genetic relationships of the western Mediterranean painted frogs based on allozymes and mitochondrial markers: evolutionary and taxonomic inferences (Amphibia, Anura, Discoglossidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 87(4), 515–536. [link]

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2024 Discoglossus scovazzi: Moroccan Painted Frog <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/6554> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 3, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 3 Dec 2024.

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