Underwater love. NW Peloponnese, Feb 2019

It is night. And it is cold. It is very early in the season, still in the middle of the winter. We go through the last days of January.

Wearing long rubber boots I wade through murky water in a forest that is yearly inundated by the heavy winter rains. Bending in the shallow water, I search for them: amphibians are already spawning here in Peloponnese.

For me, it is the mystery and the darkness of this world that is so entrancing. Deep into the night, under the surface of the water, in this liquid world, surrounded by the mystery of the murky waters, tiny animals live. The feed, they hide from predators into the rotting vegetation, they perform nuptial rituals. They communicate through vision and sounds. And most are difficult to find, and difficult to watch, this difficulty adding to their magic.

Pelophylax epeiroticus submerged in muddy water

So, one not-so-cold winter afternoon, some friends from Patras went to this magic flooded forest to look into the waters.

Manolis, Yiannis, Mike and Elias waiting for darkness

Our first stop was a pond full of croaking Tree Frogs Hyla arborea. Although they are small frogs, they make quite a noise. Even if it was very early in the season, these green frogs were in full mating mode. And mate they did. In fact we observed pairs in amplexus and the first clutch of eggs were already in place, bound on a stem underwater.

Male Tree Frog in the pond

A Tree Frog rests on a stem and looking out of the water. Most amphibians will take a rest supported on an underwater stem.

One of the earliest Hyla arborea egg clusters

In the same pond there were many Agile Frogs Rana dalmatina as well. Their croak is delivered underwater and is so subdued that it is difficult to notice amidst the Tree Frog chaos.

Newly laid eggs of Agile Frogs in the pond

Some Tree Frogs were also in the water, in a state like taking a nap. Not croaking on the surface or out of the water on the grass. Just under the surface, in a trance state, probably sleeping for a while.

Tree Frog underwater, immobile, probably taking a nap.

Most silent of all were of course the newts. Greek Newts Lissotriton graecus were also in the pond, but they don't make their courtship displays in the dark. They do it only in the day, stopping when the night comes. They seem to hide and sleep among the grasses on the bottom, or in the middle of the water supported by a submerged stem.

Inactive female Greek Newt supported by a stem

The male Greek Newt, also on a grass stem

Male Greek Newt (Lissotriton graecus) in its habitat, shallow fresh water

During the day, we were able to observe many newt pairs making their courtship displays. The males stand in front of the females, turning their tails to the female and weaving it towards her, sending feromones to woo her. Females, full with eggs, are much larger than males, which is the norm with amphibians. If she is impressed, she will take a spermatophore from him, to fertilise her eggs.

Courting Greek Newts, always underwater, male on the right, sending feromones to woo the larger female

At a nearby spot, in the same place, a male Common Toad Bufo bufo was lurking in muddy water, along with Greek Newts, Agile Frogs and Epeirus Water Frogs.

A large boy waiting for the girls. Common Toad (Bufo bufo)

Epeirus Water Frog (Pelophylax epeiroticus)

The last spot in the same forest was one with Eastern Spade-foot Toads Pelobates syriacus balcanicus. There we also found Green Toads Bufotes viridis, Marsh Frogs Pelophylax ridibundus, Tree Frogs Hyla arborea, Epeirus Water Frogs Pelophylax epeiroticus. So in one magic night we saw all 8 species of amphibian occurring in this very special place!

Star of the night, the rare Eastern Spade-foot Toad (Pelobates syriacus balcanicus)