Afrixalus crotalus

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Afrixalus crotalus
Afrixalus crotalus.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Afrixalus
Species:
A. crotalus
Binomial name
Afrixalus crotalus
Pickersgill, 1984 [2]
Synonyms [3]
  • Afrixalus aureus crotalusPickersgill, 1984

Afrixalus crotalus is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Malawi, central Mozambique, and eastern Zimbabwe. [1] [3] It might be a subspecies of Afrixalus aureus , [3] a position adopted by the AmphibiaWeb. [4] It is sometimes known as the Zimbabwe banana frog or snoring spiny reed frog. [3]

Contents

Description

Adult males measure 17–22 mm (0.67–0.87 in) and females 20–24 mm (0.79–0.94 in) in snout–vent length. The snout is tapering. The gular disc is large and usually has small asperities. There are also minute asperities on the head; otherwise, the body has no asperities. Adults usually have a rudimentary mid-dorsal line and para-dorsal stripes. The headspot, usually present among the related species, is very weakly developed. [2]

Habitat and conservation

Afrixalus crotalus inhabit moist savanna and shrubland at low to medium altitudes. Breeding takes place in ephemeral grassy pools, flooded grassland, and marshes. [1] The eggs are laid in folded, glued leaves of vegetation at, and just under, the surface of water. [2]

The species is abundant at suitable locations and tolerates some habitat modification. Some populations might nevertheless be impacted by spreading of agriculture and human settlements and by chemical control of mosquitoes. It occurs in a number of protected areas. [1]

Related Research Articles

The golden banana frog, golden dwarf reed frog, golden spiny reed frog, or golden leaf-folding frog is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in lowland coastal plains of eastern South Africa, Eswatini, and southern Mozambique. The AmphibiaWeb includes Afrixalus crotalus in this species as a subspecies, whereas the Amphibian Species of the World and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species treat A. crotalus as a full species.

<i>Afrixalus</i> Genus of amphibians

Afrixalus, commonly known as the banana frogs, spiny reed frogs, cat's eye reed frogs, or leaf-folding frogs, is a genus of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. They occur in the Subsaharan Africa. They lay their eggs in vegetation above water, often folding leaves around the eggs for protection—hence the common name "leaf-folding frogs".

<i>Afrixalus clarkei</i> Species of frog

Afrixalus clarkei is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to southwestern Ethiopia and has been recorded from near Chira, Jimma, Bonga, and Bodare. The specific name clarkei honours Mr and Mrs R. O. S. Clarke, who are acknowledged for their help and hospitality. Common name Clarke's banana frog has been coined for this species.

<i>Afrixalus delicatus</i> Species of amphibian

Afrixalus delicatus, the delicate leaf-folding frog, delicate spiny reed frog or Pickersgill's banana frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Southern and Eastern Africa, from eastern South Africa and Eswatini northward through Mozambique, the low altitude parts of Malawi and Tanzania, southeastern Kenya to southern Somalia.

Afrixalus equatorialis, also known as the Congo banana frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the central parts of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and southeastern Cameroon, and is likely to be found in the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic too. It might be conspecific with Afrixalus nigeriensis and is closely related to Afrixalus leucostictus.

Afrixalus lacteus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and known from a few mountains in the western part of the country; specifically, it has been recorded from Mount Manengouba, Mount Nlonaka, and the southern Bamileke Highlands. Common name Cameroon banana frog has been coined for it. Prior to its description, it was confused with Afrixalus lindholmi.

Afrixalus laevis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Cameroon, northern Gabon, Bioko, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and southwestern Uganda. Its range may extend to the neighboring countries. Common names smooth spiny reed frog and Liberia banana frog have been coined for it.

Afrixalus leucostictus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to eastern and central Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its relationship with Afrixalus equatorialis is not fully understood. Common names Makese banana frog and speckled spiny reed frog have been proposed for it.

Afrixalus lindholmi is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and only known from the holotype collected in Bibundi, in the coastal area of Mount Cameroon. Its taxonomic validity is in question.

<i>Afrixalus morerei</i> Species of frog

Afrixalus morerei is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania. It was originally described as a subspecies of Afrixalus septentrionalis, but is currently recognized as a full species. The specific name morerei honours Jean-Jacques Morère, a French herpetologist from the National Museum of Natural History, Paris. Its common names are Morère's spiny reed frog, Dabaga's leaf-folding frog, and Morere's banana frog.

Afrixalus orophilus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and southwestern Uganda. Common names Kivu banana frog, montane spiny reed frog, and two-lined leaf-gluing frog has been coined for it.

<i>Afrixalus osorioi</i> Species of frog

Afrixalus osorioi is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, western Kenya, and Uganda. The specific name osorioi honours Balthazar Osório, a Portuguese ichthyologist. Its common names include Angola banana frog, Osorio's spiny reed frog, Congro spiny reed frog, and forest tree frog.

Afrixalus uluguruensis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common name is Uluguru banana frog. It is endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and known from the Kipengere Range, Mahenge, Udzungwa Scarp, Rubeho, North Uluguru, Nguru, Ukaguru, and Nguu Mountains.

Afrixalus upembae is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is known from the lower Katanga Province, although its true distribution might be wider; possibly reaching eastern Angola. It belongs to the taxonomically unresolved "Afrixalus quadrivittatus complex", and it is not even clear that it is a valid species.

Afrixalus vibekensis, sometimes known as the Nimba banana frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is confirmed to exist in two locations in Côte d'Ivoire and one in Ghana, and it possibly occurs in Guinea and Liberia. It was originally described as subspecies of Afrixalus laevis. The type locality is in Côte d'Ivoire near Mount Nimba.

<i>Hyperolius minutissimus</i> Species of frog

Hyperolius minutissimus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common names are tiny reed frog and dwarf reed frog. It is endemic to Tanzania and known from the Udzungwa Mountains and from near Njombe in the Southern Highlands.

Pickersgills reed frog Species of amphibian in the family Hyperoliidae endemic to South Africa

Pickersgill's reed frog is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to South Africa. It occurs in the coastal lowlands of KwaZulu-Natal between Sezela and St Lucia.

<i>Hyperolius spinigularis</i> Species of frog

Hyperolius spinigularis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the Mulanje Massif in southern Malawi and the Namuli Massif in adjacent Mozambique. Records from Tanzania refers to other species. Males of this species have characteristic small spines during the breeding season. Its common names are spiny-throated reed frog, spiny reed frog, and Mulanje reed frog.

<i>Hyperolius swynnertoni</i> Species of frog

Hyperolius swynnertoni is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the southern portion of the eastern Zimbabwe uplands and adjacent Mozambique. It is also known as the Swynnerton's reed frog, with the subspecies "broadleyi" as the Broadley's tree frog or Broadley's forest treefrog.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Afrixalus crotalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T56058A18369349. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T56058A18369349.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Pickersgill, Martin (1984). "Three new Afrixalus (Anura: Hyperoliidae) from South-Eastern Africa". Durban Museum Novitates. 13 (17): 203–220.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Afrixalus crotalus Pickersgill, 1984". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  4. "Afrixalus aureus Golden Dwarf Reed Frog, Golden Spiny Reed Frog". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2017.