Subspecies
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(1) Bufo
variabilis variabilis Pallas, 1769
(2) Bufo variabilis kermanensis Eiselt
et Schmidtler, 1971 (=kavirensis Andren et Nilson,
1979)
The present species has long been
regarded as a synonym of Bufo viridis.
Recent molecular phylogeny data,
however, support the view that it is the
sister species of Bufo viridis (Stoeck
et al. 2006). These data also
reveal that the specimens from Iran form
a distinct subspecies. Thus, two
subspecies are recognized for Bufo
variabilis. Only the nominate subspecies
occurs in Germany.
The name Bufo persicus Steindachner,
1867 probably also refers to specimens
of the subspecies kermanensis. If this
could be demonstrated, then the persicus
epithet would take precedence over the
kermanensis epithet.
In addition, the southern Turkish
populations may also form a distinct
subspecies (Tosunoglu
1996), but the situation is not
yet clear. Unfortunately it has been
suggested that this subspecies to be
named with the specific epithet
arabicus. The arabicus epithet has been
used repeatedly for several populations
of presumably different species and its
current nomenclatural status
(availability, homonymy and synonymy) is
unclear. Thus, the status of the
southern Turkish populations and their
nomenclature requires further research.
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Synonyms
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Synonymy of Bufo
variabilis variabilis:
Rana variabilis Pallas, 1769
Bufo variabilis variabilis Pallas,
1769
Bufo variabilis (Pallas, 1769)
Phrynoidis variabilis (Pallas, 1769)
Pseudepidalea variabilis (Pallas,
1769)
Rana bufina O. F. Müller, 1776
Bufo bufina (O. F. Müller, 1776)
Batrachus fuscus Rafinesque, 1814
Bufo fuscus (Rafinesque, 1814)
Bufo bufonina Oken, 1816 (unjustified
emendation)
Rana bufiana Mertens et Wermuth, 1960
(misspelling)
Note: the sister species of Bufo
variabilis, Bufo
viridis, has been placed in its
own genus Pseudepidalea by Frost
et al. 2006. This is not
followed here (see notes under Bufo calamita).
Additional English name: Varying Toad.
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Identification
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No
information has been entered yet.
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Distribution
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From
Greece east to Iraq and Iran and south
to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Probably also
in the Caucasus, parts of Russia and
Kazakhstan, but this is unclear because
of likely confusion with Bufo viridis.
The status of the Turkish populations is
unclear (see above).
There is a disjunct area of distribution
in northern Germany, Denmark and
southern Sweden. Actually, the type
locality of this species is the city of
Lübeck in Schleswig-Holstein (Germany).
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Biology
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No
information has been entered yet.
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