English: Iberian Water Frog Scientific: Pelophylax perezi Spanish: Rana común Portuguese: Rá-verde Distribution: All of Iberia The Iberian Water Frog – Pelophylax perezi – Rana común is rarely very far from water, they will inhabit lakesides, ponds, slow rivers, canals, marshes, moors, rice fields, man made water deposits and troughs up to an altitude of … Read more
Scientific: Salamandra salamandra (Linnaeus, 1758) English: Fire Salamander Spanish: Salamandra común Portuguese: Salamandra-comum Distribution: Mainly northern, western and southern Spain (excluded from many of the central and eastern areas), all of Portugal, as well as northern Europe as far as north Germany, all of Italy and much of the Balkans and eastern Europe. The fire … Read more
Family: Mantidae Scientific: Mantis religiosa English: Praying Mantis (America: European Mantis) Spanish: Insecto de Santa Teresa Mantises, in general, are often mistakenly referred to as “Praying Mantis” but this is the English name for just one species, Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa)- Insecto de Santa Teresa, the most common species in Europe. These solitary insects can … Read more
Family: Mantidae Scientific: Ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792) English: European Dwarf Mantis Spanish: Mantis Enana Europea Distribution: Southern Europe, Morocco, Algeria The European Dwarf Mantis (Ameles spallanzania) Mantis enana Europea is a very small mantid, around 1cm-3cm that lives in low vegetation in warm, dry places. Their colour can be green, grey or brown to help … Read more