Regional accents in the Pool Frog? Development of new computer analytical techniques aids bioacoustic separation of Pool Frog populations and may elucidate the status of Norfolk Pool Frogs

Rana lessonae Camerano, 1882 has a well-recorded range across Europe with its distribution recognised as far north as Sweden (lat. 60°N). In recent years new populations have been identified in Arendal. Norway and in Norfolk, England. This study aims to clarify the situation of the Norfolk frogs. Are they native or imported? This paper presents preliminary results of a new approach to this question. By means of various bioacoustic analyses calls of R. lessonae from populations across Europe and Scandinavia have been compared. The water frog species have been subjected to detailed bioacoustic analyses in the past and some characteristics for each species have been determined. We have demonstrated the use of these techniques and developed new methods of analysis that have enabled regional differences in R. lessonae calls to be determined between the populations of Norfolk, Germany and Poland. This in turn may elucidate the situation of the Norfolk Pool Frog.