Edible Frog
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[Photo] Selbst fotographiert im Juli 2004, daher GFDL. Fotograph: Leo Bogert. Date: 17 July 2004

The Edible Frog (Rana kl. esculenta) is a name for a common European frog, also known as the common water frog or green frog (however, this latter term is also used for the North American species Rana clamitans). It is used for food, particularly in France for the delicacy Frogs' legs. Females are between 5 to 9 cm long, males between 6 to 11 cm.

Rana esculenta is the fertile hybrid of the Pool Frog (Rana lessonae) and the Marsh Frog (Rana ridibunda), hence the addition of the "kl." (for klepton or synklepton) in the species name. During the ice ages the population of the common ancestor of both species was split into two. These populations diverged, but remained genetically close enough to be able to create fertile hybrids. However, when edible frogs mate with each other, their offspring are often misformed, so there are no pure populations of edible frogs. The hybrid populations are propagated by female edible frogs mating with males of one of the parental species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_Frog

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