Surveying Effective Factors on the Ddistributional Patterns of Genus Rana (Anura: Ranidae) Using SAM (Spatial Analysis in Macroecology) Software in Iran

Ranabelongs to the Family Ranidae which is a cosmopolitan family including، six subfamilies، 30 genera and 500 species. Regarding ecological literature، studies on the diet of the genus Rana are rare; moreover، there is no study surveying other ecological and geographical aspects of this genus. Family Ranidae is represented in Iran by two genus and four species including، Rana ridibunda، Rana Camerani، Rana macrocnemis، Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis. No study has been conducted to survey the effective factors on the geographical distribution of these species. The aim of this study is to investigate the effective factors on the geographical distribution of these species. Sampling has been conducted from 19 provinces of Iran and four mentioned species have been caught. Ecological factors of every sampling location including، precipitation، temperature، vegetation، latitude، longitude، attitude are recorded. The relationship between ecological factors and occurrence of these four species has been analyzed employing SAM v4. 0 (P<0. 05). According to this study، the most relevant factors to the occurrence of the distribution of genus Rana are vegetation، latitude، and attitude. The most effective factors on the distribution of Rana macronemis are latitude، attitude، and vegetation. The most effective factors on the distribution of Rana camerani are attitude، vegetation، and latitude. The most effective factor on the distribution of Rana ridibunda is latitude. The most effective factors on the distribution of Rana (Euphylectis) cyanophlyctis are latitude، precipitation، and attitude.