Which genus classification preceded Rana for the Wood Frog, Lithobates sylvaticus?
Answer
*Rana*
Historically, the Wood Frog, *Lithobates sylvaticus*, was categorized under the genus *Rana* for an extended period, a classification shared with many other New World frogs. This older designation, *Rana sylvatica*, was widely accepted until taxonomic revisions took place. These revisions were driven by detailed morphological evidence and, critically, molecular studies that revealed distinct evolutionary lineages separating North American species from their Old World counterparts. The resulting taxonomic restructuring necessitated the shift, moving the Wood Frog into the genus *Lithobates* to more accurately reflect its phylogeny and evolutionary divergence from the traditional *Rana* group.
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