- Namaqua Rain Frog
-
Namaqua Rain Frog Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Microhylidae Genus: Breviceps Species: B. namaquensis Binomial name Breviceps namaquensis
Power, 1926The Namaqua Rain Frog (Breviceps namaquensis) is a species of frog in the Microhylidae family. It is found in South Africa and possibly Namibia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and sandy shores. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Identification
Adult frogs attain a body length of 46 mm.
The Namaqua Rain Frog has a squat, rotund body with a short, narrow head which has a relatively large eye,a flat face and narrow mouth. The limbs are short and stumpy and the fingers and toes lack webbing and adhesive discs. The upper body surface is brown with lighter brown to cream patches on the back and sides. These patches are occasionally fused together and may include irregular pairs of paravertebral patches. The underside is mainly smooth and white, but the skin is translucent in parts, and the throat area may be granular with dark markings around the jaw line.
Behaviour
This frog is a burrowing species that spends most of its time underground and does not inhabit water. It occurs generally in dry, low-lying areas that are predominantly sandy and well covered with scrub vegetation - but has also been recorded in hilly areas with more loamy and rocky substrates. When disturbed, these frogs have the ability to inflate their bodies dramatically as a defence mechanism to deter predators. Breeding activity has been recorded in winter, spring and summer . They spend most of their time underground surfacing after the rains to feed on insects.
References
- Minter, L., Channing, A. & Harrison, J. 2004. Breviceps namaquensis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 July 2007.
This Microhylidae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
