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Rana strausi Temporal range: Late Pliocene
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Ranidae
Genus:	Rana
Species:	†R. strausi
Binomial name
†Rana strausi Špinar, 1980

Rana strausi is an extinct species of true frog from the late Pliocene discovered in Willershausen, Germany.^[1]

There was only one holotype, but the author used 6 specimens to get an accurate description. It has a relatively small skull relative to the body. The skull is also around 0,5 cm wider than it is long and ends in a somewhat pointy snout. It has a long spine consisting of 9 relatively long vertebrae. Males and females can be distinguished by the width of the pelvis; males have narrower pelvises than females. Some of the soft tissue has been preserved, including some pigmentation. The hindlimbs have dark, horizontal stripes; 5 stripes on the thigh and 4 on the calf.^[1]

The eggs appeared pigmented and oval. However, the oval shape is likely caused by deformation, as a similar species (Common frog) produces round eggs.^[1]

Rana strausi is named after Dr. Adolf Straus because he, according to Špinar (the author), significantly helped expand the knowledge about fossils from the fossil-rich clay pit in Willershausen.^[1]

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