Shovelnose frog

Taxobox
name = Shovelnose frogs
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
subordo = Neobatrachia
familia = Hemisotidae
familia_authority = Cope, 1867
genus = "Hemisus"
genus_authority = Günther, 1859
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Hemisus barotseensis" "Hemisus brachydactylus" "Hemisus guineensis" "Hemisus guttatus" "Hemisus marmoratus" "Hemisus microscaphus" "Hemisus olivaceus" "Hemisus perreti" "Hemisus wittei"
range_

range_map_caption = Distribution of Hemisotidae (in black)

The shovelnose frogs are nine species of frog in the genus, "Hemisus", the only genus in the Family (biology) Hemisotidae. They are found in tropical and subtropical sub-Saharan Africa. The shovelnose frogs are moderate sized frogs, reaching a length of convert|8|cm|in. They are round-bodied, with short legs. Their head is small and narrow, with a hard, upturned nosecite book |editor=Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.|author= Zweifel, Robert G.|year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|pages= 101-102|isbn= 0-12-178560-2] .

The shovelnose frogs are burrowing frogs, living most of their life underground. The female will dig underground while it is in amplexus, and lay the eggs in an underground cavity. The male will leave through the tunnel, and the female will remain with the eggs. Once sufficient rain has fallen, the female will burrow, with her nose, towards a water source where the tadpoles will remain until metamorphosis. The tadpoles may remain out of water for up to a few days.

Unlike most burrowing frogs, the shovelnose frogs burrow head first, as opposed to rear first. Some species are kept as pets.

pecies

Family HEMISOTIDAE
* Genus "Hemisus"
** "Hemisus barotseensis" - Mongu Shovelnose Frog (Channing & Broadley, 2002)
** "Hemisus brachydactylus" - Masiliwa Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1963)
** "Hemisus guineensis" - Guinea Shovelnose Frog (Cope, 1865)
** "Hemisus guttatus" - Spotted Shovelnose Frog (Rapp, 1842)
** "Hemisus marmoratus" - Marbled Shovelnose Frog (Steindachner, 1863)
** "Hemisus microscaphus" - Lake Zwei Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1972)
** "Hemisus olivaceus" - Olive Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1963)
** "Hemisus perreti" - Perret's Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1972)
** "Hemisus wittei" - Witte's Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1963)

References

*
* [http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/names.php?taxon=&family=&subfamily=&genus=hemisus&commname=&authority=&year=&geo=0&dist=&comment= Amphibian Species of the World: "Hemisus"]