Ghost frogs

Taxobox
name = Ghost frogs
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
subordo = Neobatrachia
familia = Heleophrynidae
familia_authority = Noble, 1931
genus = "Heleophryne"
genus_authority = Sclater, 1898
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Heleophryne hewitti" "Heleophryne natalensis" "Heleophryne orientalis" "Heleophryne purcelli" "Heleophryne regis" "Heleophryne rosei"
range_

range_map_caption = Distribution of Heleophrynidae (in black)

The Heleophrynidae, is a family of order Anura, commonly known as ghost frogs. The family consists of a single genus, "Heleophryne", and six species. Ghost frogs live in swift-moving mountain streams in South Africa. The common name of "ghost frogs" may have been coined because of their occurrence in Skeleton Gorge.cite book |editor=Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.|author= Zweifel, Richard G.|year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|pages= 104-105|isbn= 0-12-178560-2]

Biology

Ghost frogs have morphological adaptation suited to surviving on the rocks around these streams. They are medium sized frogs, reaching a length of convert|6|cm|in, with flat bodies, enabling them to climb inside rocky crevices. They have very large toe discs in comparison to their size, which helps to cling onto rocks. The mouthparts of the tadpoles are modified into a sucking disc, to allow them to cling to substrates, and remain still while they are feeding.

Taxonomy

The ghost frogs are closely related to the Sooglossidae family, which inhabit Seychelles, an island close to the African coast. They may also be closely related to the Australian Myobatrachids.

Family HELEOPHRYNIDAE
* Genus "Heleophrynus"
** Hewitt's Ghost Frog, "Heleophryne hewitti" Boycott, 1988
** Natal Ghost Frog, "Heleophryne natalensis" Hewitt, 1913
** Eastern Ghost Frog, "Heleophryne orientalis" FitzSimons, 1946
** Purcell's Ghost Frog, "Heleophryne purcelli" Sclater, 1898
** Royal Ghost Frog, "Heleophryne regis" Hewitt, 1910
** Rose's Ghost Frog, "Heleophryne rosei" Hewitt, 1925

EDGE endangered species

On January 21, 2008, Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) identified nature's most "weird, wonderful and endangered species", stating that "the EDGE amphibians are amongst the most remarkable and unusual species on the planet and yet an alarming 85% of the top 100 are receiving little or no conservation attention." Their top ten species included the ghost frogs. [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL2038808 Reuters, Giant newt, tiny frog identified as most at risk] ] [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/21/conservation guardian.co.uk, Drive to save weird and endangered amphibians] ] [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2008/jan/21/wildlife.conservation guardian.co.uk/environment, Gallery: the world's strangest amphibians] ]

References

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