Frog

Many Anurans readily hybridise. In practice, the Orthodox Church and the secular state are intimately involved with one another in certain areas. The distinction is far from universally accepted, especially because there are few features that are as unique to any group as taxonomists would like. The Greek Constitution reflects this relationship by guaranteeing absolute freedom of religion while still defining the "prevailing religion" of Greece as the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ. This classification is based on the perceived possession of derived features of the three groups and refers to a fairly deep phylogenetic split, with the newest group, the Neobatrachia, having some 5,000 species. Most Greeks attend Church during the Major Feast days, and are emotionally attached to Orthodox Christianity as their 'national' religion. Frogs and toads are broadly classified into three suborders: Archaeobatrachia, Mesobatrachia and Neobatrachia - respectively, old, intermediate and new frogs. Most Greeks, even many non-practicing Christians, revere and respect the Orthodox Christian faith; even the majority of non-beliving, secular Greeks feel culturally attached to their Church.

While its skin is slightly warty, it prefers a watery habitat. The role of the Orthodox Church in maintaining Greek ethnic and cultural identity during the 400 years of Ottoman rule, strengthened the bond between religion and the state. An exception can be made for the Fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina). Even under Turkish rule and repeated attempts at prosletization - firstly by the Jesuits and then by the Protestants - Orthodox Christianity survived and flourished. The distinction between frogs and toads is usually based on the ability to retain moisture; frogs are smooth and moist skinned, while toads have dry, warty skin. Since Constantine’s time the Orthodox Christian faith has flourished and spread throughout Eastern Europe. However, many families, and even genera, have a mixture of frogs and toads, so there is no taxonomic justification. The civil and religious capital of the Empire was moved to Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) by Constantine I.

Most frogs in the Ranidae family (true frogs) and Hylidae family (tree frogs) are considered frogs, whereas all those within the Bufonidae family (true toads) are considered toads. Prior to Ottoman rule, Greece was part of the Byzantine Empire. This distinction has no scientific basis, and only refers to the common name of a species. See also: Greek Orthodox Church. A problem commonly associated with Anurans is the distinction between frogs and toads. Some groups in Greece have started an attempt to reconstruct Hellenic polytheism, the ancient Greek pagan religion. The order Anura contains some 5250 species in 33 families, whereof the Leptodactylidae (1100 spp.), Hylidae (800 spp.) and Ranidae (750 spp.) are the most speciose. Greece also has some Roman Catholics, mainly in the city of Patras, Corfu, and the Cyclades islands of Syros, Paros, Tinos, and Naxos; some Protestants and some Jews, mainly in Thessaloniki (which was once a major Jewish city until the Holocaust).

Although habitat loss is certainly one of the most important features of most declines; pollutants, climate change, introduction of non-indigenous predators/competitors, and infectious diseases (see Chytrid fungus) have also been implicated. Greek Muslims make up about 1.3% of the population, and live primarily in Thrace. The decline in frog diversity may also be to do with particular species having specialised on particular kinds of prey, such as certain kinds of earthworms that are themselves indicator species due to their close dependence on soil chemistry. The majority of Greeks (95-98%) have at least nominal membership in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Many environmental scientists feel that amphibians, and frogs in particular, may be excellent biological indicators of ecosystem function because of their location on the food web, their permeable skins and their typically bi-phasic life (in both water and on land). Several prominent Greek sportsmen migrated to Greece as ethnic Greeks from Albania and Georgia in the 1990s, including legendary weightlifters Pyrros Dimas and Kakhi Kakhiashvili. In many parts of the world, the frog populations have declined drastically since the 1950s. Since 1997 three legalization programmes were enacted by the Greek state [a fourth went through in 2005].

Frogs are found nearly worldwide, but they do not occur in Antarctica and are not present on many oceanic islands. The legal status of immigrants has been very tenuous since the 1990s (as throughout the European Union), with massive illegality. Darwin's Frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) from Chile puts the tadpoles in its vocal sac for development. The other principal nationalities are, according to residence permit data, Arvanites - ethnic Albanians, Bulgarians, Armenians, Romanians, Ukrainians, Pakistanis and Georgians; overall, over 180 different nationalities have been recorded. To do this, the Gastric-brooding Frog must stop secreting stomach acid and suppress peristalsis (contractions of the stomach). About 60-65% of Greek immigrants have come from Albania (following the fall of communism) although some 200.000 have been documented as ethnic Greeks or homogeneis. The female Gastric-brooding Frogs (genus: Rheobatrachus) from Australia swallows its tadpoles which develop in the stomach. A number of religious minorities exist, including the Muslim minority in western Thrace, which makes up about a third of that region's population.

The tadpoles will reside in the pouch until the end of metamorphosis. A non-comprehensive list of these would include Turks, Macedonian Slavs, Pomaks, and various Roma groups. The male Australian pouched frog (Assa darlingtoni) has pouches along its side. The population of Greece is 98 per cent Greek [5] although Greece has various linguistic and cultural minorities. Many frogs protect their offspring inside their own body. Main article: Demographics of Greece. the midwife toads, Alytes spp.). Apart from Athens, other top ranking tourist destinations include the islands of Myconos, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, Corfu, Paros, Ios, Kos, Kefallonia and Hydra as well as the northern Halkidiki peninsula.

Other frogs will carry the eggs and tadpoles on their hind legs or back (e.g. What is more, the government intends to promote winter tourism in Greece, something that could potentially double international arrivals. The parent will then feed it through laying unfertilised eggs into the bromeliad, until the young have metamorphosed. That is 4 times more than the amount spent in 2002 by the previous government. After hatching, a parent (sex depending upon the species) will move them, on its back, to a water-holding bromeliad. Overall, this year the Greek Ministry of Tourism plans to invest more than 30 billion euros in the tourism industry, one of the most essential sectors of the Greek economy. The frog will urinate if they become too dry. An interesting fact that is attributed in all those efforts is that according to a survey conducted in China in 2005, Greece was voted as Chinese' people number one choice.

This protection involves guarding the eggs from predation, and keeping the eggs moist. For instance and among other initiatives, Helena Paparizou, the winner of the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest was recently designated as the official ambassador of the Hellenic Tourism Organization. Some species of poison dart frogs will lay eggs on the forest floor, and protect them until hatching. Mr Avramopoulos proved to be a particularly competent man, determined to massively promote the nation to new, emerging markets in addition to the traditional ones, through various means of communication. Although brood care is much less common, there is a great diversity of such behaviours. Dimitris Avramopoulos. This reduces the number of predators, and therefore increases the number of surviving offspring. The New Democracy government, that took power in March 2004, established a brand new Ministry of Tourism headed by Mr.

They will lay the eggs en masse, and any predator within the region will die once they eat the egg or tadpole. In 2006, those figures are only expected to grow bigger. Although the Cane Toad, and similar species, do not advertise their toxicity the offspring still survive in large numbers. In particular during 2005, Greece was the top tourist destination amongst Americans. Other poisonous species will not, such as the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus). In 2005, however, those numbers increased by 14%, surpassing 16.1 million arrivals. Some tadpoles will advertise their toxicity, usually poison dart frogs, to warn potential prey. In 2004, Greece ranked 12th in terms of international tourist arrivals when more than 14.2 million visitors came to the country, many of which combining both vacations and attendance of Olympic athletic events.

Poisonous tadpoles and/or eggs is an adaptation also present in frogs. The spectacular success of the 2004 Olympic Games boosted the country's international prestige even further and reaffirmed its status as one of the safest places to be. The tadpoles drop into the water upon hatching. Unparalleled natural beauties, golden beaches, idyllic sunsets, a legendary nightlife and the world famous Greek cuisine combined with a unique hospitality and an impressively developping tourist infrastracture make Greece an irresistable hotspot for many. One way in which some species avoid the predation and pathogens eggs are exposed to in ponds is to lay eggs on leaves above the pond, with a coating designed to retain moisture.
Greece has traditionally been one of the most popular tourist destinations on a global basis and each year, particularly in the summer months, the nation's numerous cosmopolitan islands get literally packed with millions of international visitors. However, there is a greater chance some will survive than a laying of smaller numbers. Main article: Tourism in Greece.

A majority of the offspring will usually die due to predation, disease or competition with other tadpoles. This bank is not the same as the "National Bank of Greece", a commercial bank. The female will lay thousands of eggs in one laying. The Bank of Greece, now a subsidiary of the European Central Bank, functions as the nation's central bank. The most common adaptation is mass laying of eggs. Indeed, in 2005, the government managed to reduce the fiscal deficit by almost two percentage points and the goal of reaching the 3% target by the end of 2006 seems realistic. Frogs have evolved many techniques to protect the survival of the next generation. Under a negotiated agreement, the EU gave Greece a two year deadline (budgets of 2005 and 2006) in order to bring the deficit in line with the criteria of the European stability pact.

The egg and tadpole stage of a frog's life cycle is usually the most dangerous due to easy predation. Shortly after its election, the new conservative New Democracy government revealed to the Eurostat agency that the previous figures supplied to it by the PASOK government as the basis of the Greek entry into the Eurozone were not correct. More importantly, reproducing early in the season ensures that appropriate food is available to the developing frogs at the right time. The reduction of the fiscal deficit to the Eurozone target of 3% of GDP has also become a key issue. Reproducing in these conditions helps the developing tadpoles because dissolved oxygen concentrations in the water are highest at cold temperatures. Forecasts predict that 2006 will be yet another year of substantial economic growth, estimated to reach 3.7%, well above the European Union's average. Water temperatures at this time of year are relatively low and typically between four and 10 degrees Celsius. Today the country is dealing with various challenges, including the reduction of unemployment which currently stands at slightly below 10%, the reform of the social security system, the privatization (at least in part) of the public sector, the overhauling of the tax system and the further reduction of certain bureaucratic inefficiencies.

In the UK most common frog populations produce frogspawn in February although there is wide variation in timing. Moreover, Greece now operates as a net importer of foreign workers, mainly from neighbouring Albania, Pakistan and Eastern Europe. Most temperate species of frog reproduce in the period between late autumn to early spring. Part of the Greek economy's impressive growth is attributed to the fact that the previous govermnent tightened fiscal policy regulations in the run-up to the country's entry into the Eurozone, set on January 1, 2001(Greek euro coins). The eggs will hatch after a short time, releasing tadpoles. Average per capita income in 2005 was estimated at $22,800 [4]. The eggs are typically brown or black, with a clear, gelatine-like, covering. The country enjoys a high standard of living, ranking 24th on the 2005 Human Development Index and 22nd on The Economist's 2005 world-wide quality-of-life index[3].

Once the eggs come in contact with the water, they will swell, and form a protective coating. Those funds have proven to be particularly helpful in the nation's remarkable economic development of the last 25 years. The female then releases her eggs, which the male frog covers with a sperm solution before the eggs make contact with the water. Since Greece became a full member of the European Union, back in 1981, it has been a beneficiary of cohesion funds, along with Portugal, Spain and Ireland. This involves the male mounting the female and gripping her tightly. Moreover, the country is the largest investor in southeastern Europe as far as the previous sectors are concerned. The male and female frog, will then undergo amplexus. Exports of manufactured goods including telecommunications hardware and software, agricultural products, other foodstuff and fuels also account for a significant part of Greek income.

Some species have satellite males who do not call but intercept females approaching one of the calling males. What is more, Greece is a global leader in shipping (ranking first in terms of ownership of vessels and third by flag registration) [2]. The call is unique to the species, and will attract females of that species. The Greek tourism industry remains thriving and its contibution in the growth of the GDP is considered important through foreign exchange earnings. They will then call, collectively becoming a chorus of frogs. Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for a considerable part of GDP. The life cycle continues with male frogs of a species assembling at a still water source. Main article: Economy of Greece.

The French custom of eating frog legs is the source of the English use of the derogatory nickname "frogs" for French people. Rare marine species such as the Pinniped Seals and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle live in the seas surrounding mainland Greece, while its dense forests are home to the endagered brown bear , the lynx, the Roe Deer and the Wild Goat. Frog legs are a delicacy in China, France, and in many parts of the American South, especially Louisiana. The city's northern suburbs are dominated by the Alpine type while the downtown area and the southern suburbs enjoy a typical Meditteranean type. Frogs are also eaten by people. Athens is located in a transitional area featuring both the Mediterranean and the Alpine types. Frogs are themselves predated by birds, large fish, snakes, otters, foxes, badgers, coatis, and other animals. Finally the Temperate type affects both Central and Eastern Macedonia as well as Thrace, mainly affecting the cities of Komotini, Xanthi and the towns of northern Evros; it features cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers.

Some frogs use their sticky tongues effectively in catching fast-moving prey, while others capture their prey, and force it into their mouth with their hands. The Alpine type is dominant mainly in Western Greece (Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia as well as in the western and central parts of Peloponessus, including the prefectures of Achaea, Arkadia and parts of Lakonia, where the Pindus range passes by). A few of the larger species may eat larger prey, such as small mammals, fish and smaller frogs. Temperatures rarely reach extreme values although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in the Cyclades or Crete during the winter months. All juvenile and adult frogs are carnivores, eating invertebrates such as insects, worms and spiders. The Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Eastern Peloponessus and parts of the Sterea Ellada refion are mostly affected by this particular type. Most species complete their development within about three months, while others, such as the midwife toad Alytes obstetricans and the Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus), hibernate as tadpoles and complete their development the following spring. The first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

The final stage of development from froglet to adult frog involves apoptosis (programmed cell death) of the tail. Those are the Mediterranean, the Alpine and the Temperate types. As tadpoles grow, they undergo metamorphosis, in which they develop legs and lungs, have their intestines shorten to accommodate a carnivorous diet, to become a froglet. Greece's climate consists of three types that influence well defined regions of its territory. Cannibalism has also been observed among tadpoles. Volos and Larissa are the two largest cities of Thessaly. Tadpoles are entirely aquatic, and are vulnerable to predation by fish, newts, predatory diving beetles, and birds such as kingfishers. They constitute key economic regions as they are among the few arable places in the country.

Some species are carnivorous at the tadpole stage, usually eating small larvae and fish. Vast plains are primarily located in the prefectures of Thessaly, Central Macedonia and Thrace. Tadpoles are typically herbivorous, feeding mostly on algae, including diatoms that are filtered from the water through the gills. Moreover, northeastern Greece features yet another high altitude mountain range, namely the Rhodope range, spreading across the prefectures of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace; this area is covered with vast, thick, century old forests including the famous Dadia. Frogs start life as tadpoles. Once considered the land of Gods, it is today extremely popular among hikers and climbers who deem its height as a challenge. The life cycle of frogs contains two main stages, the adult and the tadpole. Olympus has a height of 2,917 m at its tallest peak.

Edible frogs rely on skin modifications rather than poisons for protection. Mount Olympus is the tallest mountain in the country, located in the northern Pieria prefecture, near Thessaloniki. There is also one nonpoisonous frog in South America which mimics a poisonous frog’s colors to protect itself. The Vicos-Aoos Gorge is a popular hotspot for those in fond of extreme sports. Poisonous frogs tend to advertise their toxicity with bright colours. The Vikos-Aoos Gorge is yet another spectacular formation and it is the second largest canyon on Earth, second only to the Grand Canyon. The name of the frog was changed from Poison Arrow Frog to Poison Dart Frog in the early 1980's. Meteora are situated in the Trikala prefecture.

It was previously a misconception that the poison was placed on arrows rather than darts. Special lifts transfer visitors to the scenic monasteries that lye on top of those rocks. Some natives of the Amazon area extract poison from the Poison Dart Frog and put it on their darts when hunting. Most notably, the impressive Meteora formation consisting of high, steep boulders provides a breathtaking experience for the hundrends of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year. The Australian Corroboree Frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree and Pseudophryne pengilleyi, have been discovered to be able to manufacture an alkaloid not derived from their diet ^[2]. Pindus is characterized by its high, steep peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other karstic landscapes. Generally the frog obtains the poison from the insects and other animals it eats. (Actually the islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once consisted an extension of the mainland).

Many predators of frogs have adapted to tolerate high levels of these poisons, whereas others, including humans, may be severely affected and hence deterred by them. The range continues through western Peloponnese, crosses the islands of Kythera and Antikythera and find its way into southwestern Aegean, in the island of Crete where it eventually ends. The chemical makeup of these toxins varies from irritants to hallucinogens, convulsants, nerve poisons, and vasoconstrictors (which act to narrow the blood vessels). Pindus has a maximum elevation of 2,636 m and it is essentially a prolongation of the Dinaric Alps. Some frogs, such as the arrow-poison frog, are especially toxic. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands and it is dominated by the Pindus mountain range. All frogs have poison glands in their skin. Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most montainous in Europe.

Certain frogs change colour between night and day, which is caused by light and moisture stimulating the pigment cells and causing them to expand or contract. Approximately 50% of the nation's territory is covered by forests. Arboreal frogs will usually have smooth skin to effectively disguise them as leaves. Greece has more than 15,000 kilometres of coastline and a land boundary of 1,160 kilometres. Features such as warts or skin folds are usually found on ground dwelling frogs, where a smooth skin would not disguise them effectively. The country consists of a large mainland at the southern end of the Balkans; the Peloponnesus peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth); and numerous islands (around 3,000), including Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Euboea and the Dodecanese and the Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea as well as the Ionian Sea islands. For example, White's tree frog (Litoria caerulea) varies in shades of green and brown. Main article: Geography of Greece.

However, this is usually restricted to shades of one or two colours. Before 1999, Greece's local government structure featured 5,775 local authorities: 457 demoi and 5,318 koinotetes, subdivided into 12,817 localities (oikosmoi). Some frogs have the ability to change colour. The 51 nomoi subdivide into 147 eparchies (singular eparchia), which contain 1,033 municipalities and communities: 900 urban municipalities (demoi) and 133 rural communities (koinotetes). Nocturnal frogs will usually find the ideal camouflaged position during the day to sleep. Beyond these one autonomous region exists: Mount Athos (Agio Oros - Holy Mountain), a monastic state under Greek sovereignty. Most camouflaged frogs are nocturnal, which adds to their ability to hide. Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as peripheries, which subdivide further into the 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos):.

Camouflage is a common defensive mechanism in frogs. Main article: Peripheries of Greece. They can also breathe with their mouths closed by taking air in through the nostrils (causing the throat to puff out), and then compressing the floor of the mouth, which forces the air into the lungs. For a list of Greek political parties, see List of political parties in Greece. Frogs can breathe by simply opening their mouth and letting air flow into their windpipe. Both are rare occurrences with usually predictable outcomes as voting outside the party line happens very seldom. Their lungs are similar to those of humans, but the chest muscles are not involved in respiration and there are no ribs or diaphragm to support breathing. An administration may, at any time, seek a "vote of confidence"; conversely, a number of Members of Parilament may ask that a "vote of reproach" be taken.

Adult frogs use their lungs when on land. With the current electoral system, it is the leader of the party gaining a plurality of the votes in the Parliamentary elections who gets appointed Prime Minister. When a frog is underwater, oxygen is transmitted through the skin directly into the bloodstream. 151 votes). There are a number of blood vessels near the skin. This means that the President of the Republic is bound to appoint as Prime Minister a person who will be approved by a majority of the Parilament's members (i.e. The skin of amphibians is moistened by secretions of mucus, and is used for respiration at times. Greek parliamentary politics hinge upon the principle of the "dedilomeni", the "declared confidence" of Parliament to the Prime Minister and his/her administration.

Just as frogs are able to absorb water through their skin, they are also able to breathe through their skin. A party must receive 3% of the total national vote to gain representation. The egg and tadpole development is very fast in comparison to most frogs, to prevent the pond drying before metamorphosis. Greece uses a complex reinforced proportional representation electoral system which discourages splinter parties and ensures that the party which leads in the national vote will win a majority of seats. Once it rains, they will emerge, find a temporary pond and breed. Greeks elect the 300 members of the country's unicameral parliament (the Vouli ton Ellinon) by secret ballot for a maximum of four years, but elections can occur at more frequent intervals. The Australia genus Cyclorana, and American genus Pternohyla will dig underground, form a water impervious cocoon and hibernate during dry periods. However, it is the prime minister and cabinet that play the central role in the political process, while the president performs very limited governmental functions, in addition to ceremonial duties.

For this reason, for frogs to survive in deserts or drought prone regions, where water may not be accessible for many years, other adaptations must suffice. The President of the Republic, elected by an increased majority of the Parliament for a term of five years, is nominally the Head of State. These adaptations only reduce water loss enough for a predominately arboreal existence, and are not suitable for arid conditions. The 1975 constitution includes extensive specific guarantees of civil liberties. This position involves the frog lying with its toes and fingers tucked under its body and chin respectively, with no gap between the body and substrate. Main article: Politics of Greece. This includes nocturnal activity, and resting in a water conserving position. The 2004 Olympic Games were globally hailed as a spectacular success.

Some species will use behavioural traits to reduce water loss. Some concerns were raised by certain foreign media over Greece's ability to meet specific construction deadlines as well as its ability to handle a potential terrorist attack ( The 2004 Olympics were the first to be held after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States while Greece was also the smallest nation ever to host such a colossal event, after Finland.) However, Greece triumphantly proved all those who questioned its abilities wrong and immediately after the closing ceremonies many of those media actually apologized, admitting that they were overreacting. Some tree frogs reduce water loss with a water proof layer of skin. The massive preparations that followed literally transformed the Greek capital. Many frogs, such as tree frogs, have behaviourally and physiologically adapted to conserving water. On September 5, 1997, the International Olympic Commitee awarded the 2004 Olympic Games to Athens. However, the permeability of frog's skin also results in some frogs losing large amounts of water. Ten years later, Greece has become one of the chief advocates of Turkey's struggle to enter the European Union while Greek prime minister, Kostas Karamanlis was one of the best men in the wedding of the daughter of Turkey's premier.

Many frogs are able to absorb water directly through their skin, especially through the pelvic area. The crisis escalated within only a few days and it was only after the personal intervention of President Bill Clinton that it came to an end. The croak of the American bullfrog (Rana catesbiana) is sometimes spelt "jug o' rum". While Greece insisted that according to all treaties and conventions the islets belong to Greece, Turks claimed that the relevant articles were rather unclear. This difference is due to the different species within each region (for example, Common frog (Rana temporaria) in Britain and Leopard frog (Rana pipiens) in the USA). In January 1996, the countries reached the brink of war over the tiny, uninhabited islets of Imia, situated in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Frog noise tends to be spelt (for English speakers) as "crrrrk" in Britain and "ribbit" in the USA. These generous, brave acts took many foreigners by surprise and led to a considerable breakthrough in bilateral relations, marred by decades of hostility over territorial disputes and the situation in the divided island of Cyprus.

Many species of frog have deep calls, or croaks. Turks also responded immediately after a magnitude 5.9 quake jolted Athens on September 7 of that same year, killing 143 people. The effectiveness of the call is unknown, however it is suspected the call intrigues the predator, until another animal is attracted, distracting them enough for its escape. Greece was the first one to take the initiative to provide valuable help after a monstrous, magnitude 7.4 earthquake leveled much of the Turkish northwest on August 17, 1999, killing more than 17,000 people. This is done with the mouth open, and usually results in a higher pitched call. The so called earthquake diplomacy came after an unprecedented outpouring of sympathy and generous assistance provided by ordinary Greeks and Turks in each of those cases. A distress call is emitted by some frogs when they are in a position of danger. As far as Greco-Turkish relations are concerned, these have improved substantially over the last 6 years, after successive earthquakes hit both countries in the summer of 1999.

All of these calls are emitted with the mouth of the frog closed. The trial of those arrested was held in March 2003 and all of them are now behind bars. Many species also have a territorial call that is used to chase away other males. The group had formed in 1974 and it was responsible for the killing of several American, British and Turkish officials residing in Greece as well as for the killing of prominent Greek politicians. A male frog will emit a different call when mounted by another male. In June 2002, Greek police achieved a major breakthrough in dealing with domestic terrorism when it managed to arrest the members of the notorious Nonember 17 terrorist group. Polypedates leucomystax, produce a call reciprocal to the male's which acts as the catalyst for the enhancement of reproductive activity in the breeding colony (Roy, 1997). Nevertheless, everyone agrees that the government still has to deal with certain economic issues so as to enable the country to use its full potentials and reach the standard of living of the richest nations in Europe.

Females of many frog species, e.g. With a GDP per capita now standing at $ 22,800 and a growth rate well above European Union's average, Greece is a prosperous nation. Males will either call in a group, called a chorus, or individually. The country adopted the Euro in 2001. The main reason for calling is for the male to attract a mate. Massive, widespread investments in industrial enterprises and heavy infrastructure as well as funds from the European Union and impressively growing revenues from tourism, shipping and services have greatly raised the standard of living to unprecedented levels. The flowing water overpowers any call, and they must communicate by other means. Over the course of the last 25 years, and particularly during this past decade, Greece has experienced a remarkable economic growth.

Species of frog which have lost a vocal sack, and do not have a loud call, tend to inhabit areas close to flowing water. The country became the tenth member of the European Union in January 1, 1981. Their buccal cavity is enlarged and dome shaped, acting as a resonance chamber, and amplifies their call. Papandreou dominated the Greek political course for almost 15 years, up until his death in June 23, 1996. Some frogs which lack vocal sacks, such as the frogs from the genera Heleioporus and Neobatrachus, can still have a loud call. However, Papandreou won the elections held on October 18, 1981 by landslide and he formed the first socialist government in the history of the nation. Each call is unique to a species. Karamanlis won the 1977 parliamentary elections as well but he resigned in 1980, giving his way to George Rallis.

The vocal sac is a membrane of skin under the throat or on the corner of the mouth which distends during the amplification of the call. Meanwhile, yet another prominent figure of the past, charismatic politician Andreas Papandreou had also returned from the United States and he had already founded the Panhellenic Socialist Party or PASOK. In most calling frogs, the sound is amplified by the vocal sac(s). Therefore former King Constantine IIand his family remained in Britain and were not allowed free access to the country until 2004. It will call by passing air through the larynx, in the throat. In addition, a referendum held that same yeear, confirmed the will of the overwhealming majority of the Greek people to abolish the monarchy - this time democratically. The males of most species of frogs will call for a variety of reasons. Democracy had finally been restored and a democratic republican constitution came into force in 1975.

The hind legs of ground dwelling frogs are better suited to hopping. Karamanlis founded the conservative Nea Dimokratia party and he then won the elections. Ground dwelling frogs will usually have reduced toe pads (if any at all), and webbing. Karamanlis was immediately appointed as the interim prime minister under President Gizikis. Ground dwelling frogs do not have much in the way of specific adaptations, except they lack the adaptations of aquatic and arboreal frogs. In the morning hours of the following day, the plane carrying him landed in Athens amidst massive celebrations by cheering crowds that could not believe that the ordeal they had to endure for seven years was over. Therefore, many arboreal frogs have hips which allow both hopping and walking. In the evening of July 23, 1974, ex Premier Constantine Karamanlis was invited back from Paris where he had found a political refuge.

Transport through trees can be dangerous just through the process of hopping. This was the end for the regime that collapsed within a matter of days. This aids in creating the greatest surface area touching the substrate, by applying even pressure to the toes/fingers. The colonels did not succeed in either predicting that something like that could happen or in effectively mobilizing their armed forces in order to prevent it. Tree frogs also have a small structure called the intercalory structure in their toes and fingers. Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974 and managed to occupy the northern part or a third of its territory. ^[1]. This gave a pretext for neighbouring Turkey to intervene militarily, alledgedly to protect the Turkish minority that resided on the island.

For this reason, wet frogs cannot grip to smooth surfaces. The following July, he decided to back a coup d'etat that planned to overthrow the Cypriot President, Archibishop Makarios. Capillarity then maintains the grip . Ioannides, however, had even more in his mind. On smooth surfaces, the gaps drain away excess moisture, to produce a thin layer of moisture. A new head, Phaedon Gizikis, and a new Prime Minister, Adamantios Androutsopoulos, were appointed by the regime. The pressure from the frog interlocks any irregularities on a surface, and therefore grips the surface. Indeed, both Papadopoulos and Markezinis were overthrown by a countercoup headed by junta hardliner Brigadier Ioannides on November 25.

The cells on the pads are interlocking, with gaps between each cell. However, the Athens Polytechnic Uprising marked the beginning of a series of events that would eventually result to the end of the colonels' rule. The toe discs do not work by suction, but a more complicated system. More than 20 students lost their lives that morning. Arboreal frogs have toe pads on the end of their toes to help grip. In the early hours of November 17, a tank smashed the gate of the School causing tragic bloodshed. For example, the African dwarf frog (Hymenochirus sp.) is completely aquatic and its hands are fully webbed, whereas White's tree frog is arboreal, and is only half or one quarter webbed. By November 16, however, the streets around the Polytechnic School resembled more like a battlefield leaving no choice for the junta other than responding using some more of its familiar military tactics.

The degree to which a frog is aquatic, can usually be predicted from the amount their hands/feet are webbed. It should be noted that institutions of higher education in Greece are considered to provide political asylum. To do this, frogs have evolved a structure similar to most semi-aquatic animals - webbed feet and hands. They took control of the Athens Law School, something that inspired the students of the Athens Polytechnic School who imitated them. An aquatic lifestyle for a frog requires a frog to move fast through the water. A few weeks later, on November 14, many law students that opposed the regimed realized that the parody would not end unless they took some action. The three main habitats are terrestrial, aquatic and arboreal. Later that same year, in October of 1973, the head of the junta, colonel George Papadopoulos appointed politician Spiros Markezinis as the Prime Minister.

This is due to the large variety of habitats in which frogs inhabit. In 1973 ,however, the junta decided to abolish the Greek monarchy. The feet/hands and legs of frogs, are one of the most varied structures within the order Anura. Nevertheless, since the then head of state, former King Constantine signed in the new regime, it was immediately recognized by the international community and diplomatic relations contiuned unabated. Hence, dead frogs are often used for dissections in high school and university anatomy classes, often after being injected with coloured plastics to enhance the contrast between different organs. Other polititians, however, managed to escape on time and found a political refuge in such European countries as France and Sweden. The internal organs of frogs are relatively odourless. In the following years, a number of supporters of the left wing as well as a number of politicians and communists were arrested and brutally tortured by the regime.

They have a tympanum on each side of their head, which is involved in hearing, and is covered by skin in some species. The general elections planned by the conservative government to be held on May 28 never took place. Frogs have three eyelid membranes: one transparent to protect the eyes underwater, and two which are translucent to opaque. That morning, a coordinated effort by a number of Generals and other military officials to seize power by a coup d'etat succeded and they soon managed to establish a fierce military junta. The skin lacks keratin and hangs loosely on the body because of the lack of loose connective tissue, and can be smooth, warty or have skin folds. The crisis eventually got out hands of both the elected government and King Constantine II and ended dramatically in the early hours of April 21, 1967. Frogs range in size from 10mm (Psyllophryne didactyla of Brazil and Eleutherodactylus iberia of Cuba) to 300mm (Goliath frog, Conraua goliath, of Cameroon). However, starting in 1965, a series of turbulent political events unfolded that led to severe political uncertainty.

They have a short vertebral column, with no more than ten free vertebrae, followed by a fused tail bone, usually resulting in a frog without a tail. During the 1950s and 1960s, Greece experienced a gradual as well as considerable economic growth, aided by significant grants and loans provided to the country by the United States, through the Marshall Plan. Frogs are generally well suited to jumping, and have long hind legs, with elongated ankle bones. After liberation, Greece experienced an equally bitter Greek Civil War between the communist-led Democratic Army and the Hellenic Army that lasted until 1949, when the communists were defeated in the battle of Grammos-Vitsi. However, there are some general characteristics that distinguish them from other amphibians. The Greek economy languished. Because of the great diversity of frogs (approximately 5250 described species), many characteristics are not shared by all of the species. The occupiers murdered the greater part of the Jewish community despite efforts by the Greek Orthodox Church and many Christian Greeks to shelter its Jewish citizens.

. During the years of Nazi occupation, hundreds of thousands of Greeks died in direct combat, in concentration camps, or of starvation. Their distribution ranges from tropic to subarctic regions, with most of the approximately 5250 described species found in tropical rainforest. Although Crete eventually fell, it is pointed out by historians that this, and the whole Greek campaign, delayed German plans significantly, with the result that the German invasion of the Soviet Union started fatally close to winter. Some frogs are poisonous and have warning colouration; others are well camouflaged. Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, however, offered fierce resistance. Most frogs have a semi-aquatic lifestyle, and their larvae, called tadpoles, have gills and develop in water. In May 1941, to reduce the threat of a counter-offensive by Allied forces in Egypt, the Germans attempted to seize Crete in a massive attack by paratroops.

"True frogs" are of the family Ranidae. Germany held onto the country until 1944, when the Greek resistence and British, Australian and New Zealand forces liberated the country. The only family exclusively given the common name "toad" is Bufonidae, but many species from various other families are also called "toads". German forces whose ranks included troops from Hungary, Bulgaria, and Italy successfully invaded Greece, overran and occupied Greece in April-May 1941. A distinction based on appearance is often made between frogs and toads, but this has no scientific basis. Eventually, Mussolini's armies were saved from defeat with the intervention of Italy's Axis ally, Germany since Hitler and his generals needed to secure their strategic souther flank. Adult frogs are characterised by long hindlegs, a short body, webbed digits, protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. The Greek counter-attack along the Albanian front gave the Allies their first victory against the Axis forces (see Greco-Italian War).

Frog is the common name for amphibians in the order Anura. The Italian troops poured over from Albania. Though Greece was alone and most of Europe occupied by the Axis, the Greek government gave a simple negative response (see Oxi Day)- thereby immediately siding with the Allied. On 28 October 1940, the Italian dictator Mussolini called on the Greeks to allow the troops to enter the country and to surrender its arms. Greece under Metaxas is also compared to Spain at the time, although it lacked the political violence associated with Francisco Franco's regime.

In 1936, General Ioannis Metaxas established an authoritarian conservative dictatorship in Greece, seen as similar to Antonio Salazar's "New State". A population exchange was included in the agreement and immediately afterwards, around five hundred thousand Turks (including Muslim Greeks) then living in mainland Greek territory left for Turkey in exchange for more than 1.22 million Greek residents of Asia Minor (excluding Constantinople, Imvros and Tenedos). Soon afterwards, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed, fixing the borders to this date. During the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922) the Turks eventually defeated the Greek armies and regained control of Asia Minor.

At that time, however, the Turkish nationalists, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, denounced the Sultan's government in Istanbul and formed a new one in Ankara. In the war's aftermath, the Great Powers awarded a small part of Asia Minor to Greece, centered around the city of Smyrna (known as Izmir today) which had a majority Greek population. In World War I, Greece sided with the entente powers against the Ottoman Empire and the other Central Powers. Greece would slowly grow in territory and population until reaching its present configuration in 1947.

During the 19th and especially the early 20th centuries, in a series of wars with the Ottomans, Greece sought to enlarge its boundaries to include the ethnic Greek population of the Ottoman Empire (the Ionian Islands were donated by Britain upon the arrival of the new king from Denmark in 1863, and Thessaly was ceded by the Ottomans without a fight). The first king, Otto of Bavaria, was of the German House of Wittelsbach, and the subsequent line was from the Germano-Danish House of Oldenburg. The Great Powers did not believe the Greeks were capable of governing themselves, and as such looked elsewhere for a prospective monarch. However, that republic was soon dissolved by the Great Powers which then installed a "Greek" monarchy.

The Russian ex-minister of foreign affairs, Ioannis Kapodistrias, himself a Greek noble from the Ionian Islands, was chosen as President of the new Republic following Greek independence. This was the prelude of the so called "Eastern Question", the gradual dismemberment of the decaying empire by the western powers. At times the Ottomans seemed on the verge of entirely suppressing the Greek revolution but were eventually forced to give in by the direct military intervention of France, Great Britain and Russia. Scores of non-Greeks volunteered to fight for the cause — including people like Lord Byron.

The elites of powerful European nations saw the war of Greek independence, with its accounts of Turkish atrocities, in a romantic light (see, for example, the 1824 painting the Massacre of Chios by Eugène Delacroix). In 1821, the Greeks and their allies rebelled and declared their independence, but did not succeed in winning it until 1829. The Ottomans ruled Greece until the early 19th century. As a result, religion played an integral part in the formation of the Modern Greek and other post-Ottoman national identities.

Therefore, there was no recognition of "Greek Muslims", or of "Christian Turks". The Greeks who converted to Islam and were not Crypto-Christians became Turks in the eyes of Orthodox Greeks. The Greeks who remained on the plains during Ottoman occupation were either Christians, who dealt with the burdens of foreign rule, or to a considerable extent Crypto-Christians (Greek Muslims who were secret practitioners of the Orthodox faith) in order to avoid heavy taxation. mountains, plains, and islands) to preserve their ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage during the years of the Ottoman rule (although at the time it was not strictly speaking a "Greek" church - the Greek Church was instituted after the liberation).

The Orthodox Church, a religious institution with a keen sense of its national character, contributed to the Greeks from all geographical areas of the peninsula (i.e. The millet system contributed to the ethnic cohesion of Orthodox Greeks by segregating the various peoples within the Ottoman Empire based on religion. By the end of the 16th century and until the 17th century, Greeks began to migrate back to the plains and cities, adding to the increasing urban population. The Sphakiots of Crete, the Souliots from Souli of Epirus, and the Maniots from Mani of Peloponnesus were the most resilient mountain clans throughout the Ottoman Empire.

As a result some Greek mountain clans across the peninsula, as well as some islands, were able to maintain a status of independence. In the mountainous regions, the Ottomans were unable to create a permanent military and administrative presence. The second migration of Greeks left the plains of the Greek peninsula and resettled in the mountains, the islands and Greek regions outside Ottoman control. The first migration saw the Greek intelligentsia migrate to Western Europe - especially to Italy - and contribute to the advent of the Renaissance.

While the Ottomans were completing the main conquest of the Greek Mainland, two Greek migrations occurred. Greece was gradually conquered by the Ottomans during the 15th century. From the 4th century to the 15th century, the Byzantine Empire survived eleven centuries of attacks from the north, west and east until Constantinople fell on May 29, 1453 to the Ottoman Empire, when Constantine XI, the last emperor of the Palaeologus dynasty, fell. When the Roman Empire finally split in two, the Eastern Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire, centered around Constantinople (known in ancient times as Byzantium), remained Greek in nature, encompassing Greece itself.

Greece became a province of the Roman Empire, but Greek culture continued to dominate the eastern Mediterranean. Militarily, Greece itself declined to the point that the Romans conquered the land (168 BC onwards), though, in many ways, Greek culture would in turn conquer Roman life. Plato described how the Greeks live round the Aegean Archipelago "like frogs around a pond"; their name has always been associated with the sea. After this, a Dark Age followed until around 800 BC, when a new era of Greek city-states emerged establishing colonies along the Mediterranean, and the alphabet was adopted from the Phoenicians^{[citation needed]}.

The shores of Greece's Aegean Sea saw the emergence of the first civilizations in Europe, namely the Minoan and the Mycenaean. Main Article: History of Greece.. (El or el is used on documents by the European Union to indicate the Greek language, not the country).
International abbreviations:.

See Names of the Greeks for discussion. Some Greeks prefer the name Hellas for the country and Hellenes for the people even in English. Modern Georgians still call Greeks ბერძენი berdzeni and Greece საბერძნეთი saberdznet'i, 'Greeks' land' or literally 'land of the wise'. According to Georgian historians, the name is connected with the notion that philosophy was born in Greece.

This form derives from the Georgian word ბრძენი brdzeni – wise. In ancient times, Georgians (Colchis and Iberia) called Greeks ბერძენი berdzeni. An interesting and unique form is kept in Georgian. Norwegian, Chinese (希腊 Xila) and Vietnamese are three of the few languages apart from Greek in which the name Hellas predominates.

On the other hand, the name of Greece in some Middle Eastern and Eastern languages (Turkish: Yunanistan, Arabic and Urdu: يونان (Yawnan), Hebrew: יוון (Yavan), ancient Persian: Yaunâ, Indian Pali: Yona, Malay and Indonesian: Yunani) derives from the Greek toponym Ἰωνία Iōnía. The Japanese name is ギリシャ (Girisha), lent from European languages. The common root of this appelation originate from a different root: Γραικός Graikós (via Latin Graecus), which according to Aristotle, was an ancient name for the Greeks. The name of 'Greece' in other European languages: English: Greece, French: Grèce, Portuguese: Grécia, Spanish and Italian: Grecia, Albanian: Greqi, Welsh: Groeg, German: Griechenland Swedish,Grekland , Dutch: Griekenland, Russian: Греция, etc.

In modern Greek it is called more commonly Ελλάδα Elládha /ɛˈlaða/. This name is also written as Hellas in English, following the ancient Greek pronunciation /hɛˈl:as/. The historical name of Greece in Greek is Ἑλλάς Ellás /ɛˈlas/. Main article: Names of the Greeks.

. Regarded by many as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Greece has a long and rich history during which its culture has proven especially influential in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The waters of the Aegean Sea border Greece to the east, and those of the Ionian and Mediterranean Sea to the west and south. It has land boundaries with Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania to the north, and with Turkey to the east.

Greece, (Greek: Ελλάδα Elládha or Ελλάς Hellás), officially the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Ellinikí Dhimokratía), is a country in southern Europe on the tip of the Balkan peninsula. National Statistical Service of Greece. Hellenic National Intelligence Service. Greek Australian.

Greek Canadians. Greek American. List of Greeks. Greeks.

Plateia Syntagmatos and Vouli ton Ellinon. Conscription in Greece. Postage stamps and postal history of Greece. Military of Greece.

Foreign relations of Greece. Rio-Antirio bridge. List of Greek roads. Transportation in Greece