De Villiers' Moss Frog

De Villiers' Moss Frog
De Villiers' Moss Frog
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Petropedetidae
Genus: Arthroleptella
Species: A. villiersi
Binomial name
Arthroleptella villiersi
Hewitt, 1935

The De Villiers' Moss Frog (Arthroleptella villiersi) is a minute species of frog in the Petropedetidae family, which is endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa.[1] At around 22 millimetres (0.87 in) length it is one of the smallest regional species, though larger than the Micro Frog.[2]

As with other Moss Frogs, they don't enter water, but females lay their eggs in damp vegetation, and the frogs hatch directly from the egg capsules.[2] Its natural habitats are mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.

References

  1. ^ Harrison, J., Minter, L. & Channing, A. (2004). "Arthroleptella villiersi". 2006 Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/58063/0. Retrieved 19-09-2007. 
  2. ^ a b Wolfart, Stephen (2006). The Southern Tip of Africa. David Philip Publishers. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-86486-698-1. 
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