Heleophrynidae is a family of frogs, commonly known as ghost frogs. They are thought to be the most basal group in the Neobatrachia. The family consists of two genera, Heleophryne and Hadromophryne, with seven 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.
Heleophryne is a genus of ghost frogs. They are known from mountainous regions of South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini.
The wildlife of South Africa consists of the flora and fauna of this country in southern Africa. The country has a range of different habitat types and an ecologically rich and diverse wildlife, vascular plants being particularly abundant, many of them endemic to the country. There are few forested areas, much savanna grassland, semi-arid Karoo vegetation and the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region. Famed for its national parks and big game, 297 species of mammal have been recorded in South Africa, as well as 849 species of bird and over 20,000 species of vascular plants.
The Cape mountain toad or Rose's mountain toad is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. Other common names include Rose's mountain toadlet, striped mountain toad, Rose's toad, and Muizenberg Cape toad. It is endemic to South Africa, where its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation known as fynbos. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Rose's rain frog or Rose's rainfrog is a species of frog in the family Brevicipitidae. It is endemic to the sandveld of south-western coastal South Africa. It is less-frequently known as Rose's short-headed frog, Rose's Blaasop, or the sand rain frog. Some treat Breviceps fasciatus as a synonym of this species, although other authorities have expressed doubt.
The Bainskloof moss frog or Bainskloof chirping frog is a species of frogs in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is endemic to South Africa.
Arthroleptella is a genus of frogs known as moss frogs in the family Pyxicephalidae. The ten species of this genus are endemic to South Africa.
Hewitt's moss frog, also known as Natal chirping frog or yellow bandit frog, is a species of frog in the Pyxicephalidae family. It is found in the Drakensberg mountains of South Africa, possibly including adjacent Lesotho.
Arthroleptella subvoce is a species of frogs in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is endemic to South Africa and only known from the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, Western Cape. Common name northern moss frog has been coined for it. The specific name subvoce is Latin for "under voice" and refers to the very subdued male advertisement call of this frog.
The micro frog, or Cape Flats frog, is a species of frog less than 2 cm (0.8 in) long in the family Pyxicephalidae, in the monotypic genus Microbatrachella. Its color varies from rufous brown with dark mottling, to tan or green, depending on the population. It is endemic to the south-western Cape area of South Africa, with a single population found on the Cape Flats of Cape Town and several populations on the eastern side of False Bay. It typically lives in wetlands in coastal fynbos habitats, but its total area of occupancy is very small, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being "critically endangered".
The banded stream frog, also known as the banded sand frog, Cape grass frog, Cape stream frog, long-toed frog, mountain frog or Jonkersberg frog, is a species of frogs in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is endemic to South Africa.
The Chimanimani stream frog is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Natal ghost frog is a species of frog in the family Heleophrynidae. It is the only species in the genus Hadromophryne.
The eastern ghost frog is a species of frog in the family Heleophrynidae.
The Purcell's ghost frog is a species of frog in the family Heleophrynidae. It is endemic to Western Cape Province, South Africa. Its natural habitat is fynbos heathland. Breeding takes place in perennial streams. Their tadpoles take two years to develop fully.
The royal ghost frog, also known as the southern ghost frog or Cape ghost frog, is a species of frog in the family Heleophrynidae. It is endemic to South Africa, and lives in fast-moving streams.
Rose's ghost frog, or Table Mountain ghost frog, is a species of frog in the family Heleophrynidae endemic to South Africa. It is a medium-sized species with purple or brown blotches on a pale green background and large discs on its fingers and toes. It has a very restricted range, being only known from the slopes of parts of Table Mountain. The tadpoles live in permanent streams but these are in danger of drying up because of the establishment of pine plantations. Because of its small range and changes in its habitat, this frog is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Anhydrophryne is a genus of frogs in the family Pyxicephalidae, formerly in Petropedetidae. It is endemic to South Africa. Until recently, the genus was monotypic, containing only Anhydrophryne rattrayi, until it absorbed two more species formerly classified as belonging to genus Arthroleptella.
Natal diving frog, also known as the Natal diving frog, Boneberg's frog, or Kloof frog ), is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is the only species within the monotypic genus Natalobatrachus. It is endemic to South Africa. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and rivers and it is threatened by habitat loss.
