Hyperolius argus

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Hyperolius argus
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Hyperolius argus females
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Hyperolius
Species:
H. argus
Binomial name
Hyperolius argus
Peters, 1854
Synonyms

Hyperolius flavoviridisPeters, 1854
Hyperolius tettensisPeters, 1854
Hyperolius cinctiventrisCope, 1862
Rappia platycephalusPfeffer, 1893
Hyperolius ahliLoveridge, 1936
Hyperolius böckiiKoesen, 1968

Contents

Hyperolius argus, known under common names Argus reed frog, Argus sedge frog, and Boror reed frog (and many others) is a hyperolid frog found in the eastern coastal plain of Africa from southern Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe to KwaZulu-Natal in eastern South Africa. [1] [2]

Description

Hyperolius argus is sexually dichromatic: adult males are usually green, and females usually reddish-brown with large white spots. The coloration and pattern show geographic variation. [3]

Both females and males metamorphose to a solid green color without spots—the color of adult males. Under experimental conditions, the time from metamorphosis to the change to a female color pattern took about two months; for a male, the time from metamorphosis to the development of vocal sacs, with spontaneous vocalization and aggression, was about three months. [4]

The females attach the eggs to vegetation below the surface of the water (possibly caused by raising water level). The female can lay in total about 200 eggs in clusters of about 30 eggs. [3]

Habitat and conservation

Hyperolius argus is a common species living near water in low elevation dense, humid savanna and grassland. Breeding takes place in vegetated shallow pans, vleis and marshes, typically in temporary water. [1]

Even though this species does not face major threats, it is affected by urban expansion, agricultural intensification, and introduced species (bass). [1]

Related Research Articles

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Agalychnis callidryas, commonly known as the red-eyed tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Phyllomedusinae. It is native to forests from Central America to north-western South America. This species is known for its bright coloration, namely its vibrant green body with blue and yellow stripes on the side. It has a white underside, brightly red and orange colored feet, and is named after its distinctive bright red eyes.

Hyperolius balfouri is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, Uganda, and western Kenya. The specific name balfouri honours J.W. Balfour, a missionary in Uganda. Common names Balfour's reed frog and Ethiopia reed frog have been coined for this species, with the latter name referring to the now-synonymized Hyperolius zavattarii. Populations from the western part of the range may be referred to the subspecies Hyperolius balfouri viridistriatus.

Hyperolius bopeleti, also known as the Dizangue reed frog or Bopelet's reed frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the coastal southwestern Cameroon. The specific name bopeleti honours M. Bopelet, a Cameroonian biologist.

Hyperolius brachiofasciatus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is known from its type locality, Ngoto in southwestern Central African Republic, from another locality in central Republic of the Congo, and from a number of localities in central Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, as of 2014, IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group considers records other than the one from the type locality erroneous, and that this species likely is a synonym of some other species. Common name Ngoto reed frog has been proposed for it.

<i>Hyperolius castaneus</i> Species of amphibian

Hyperolius castaneus is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the highlands of western Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda as well as eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Common names of this species include Ahl's reed frog, brown reed frog, and montane reed frog. The status of the putative subspecies Hyperolius castaneus rhodogaster is unclear, and it may actually be a distinct species. Also Hyperolius constellatus, now a distinct species, was formerly recognized as a subspecies of H. castaneus.

<i>Hyperolius concolor</i> Species of amphibian

Hyperolius concolor, also known as the variable reed frog or Hallowell's sedge frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It occurs in West and Middle Africa.

Hyperolius diaphanus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and is known from near the Itombwe Mountains and the mountains to the west of Lake Kivu. Limits of its range are not clear and might extend into the adjacent Burundi and Rwanda. Common names Kigulube reed frog and translucent reed frog have been proposed for this species.

Hyperolius discodactylus is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It occurs in the montane areas of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. It is also known as the Albertine Rift reed frog, highland reed frog, or disc-fingered reed frog.

Hyperolius kihangensis, also known as the Kihanga reed frog or volcano reed frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains in south-central Tanzania.

<i>Hyperolius mitchelli</i> Species of amphibian

Hyperolius mitchelli is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the area between northeastern Tanzania, Malawi, and central Mozambique.

Hyperolius montanus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Kenya and known from the Kenya Highlands. It might represent more than one species.

Hyperolius nitidulus is a species of frog from the family Hyperoliidae. It is found on the West African savannas between Guinea and Mali in the west and Nigeria and Cameroon in the east. Common name plain reed frog has been coined for it.

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

Hyperolius picturatus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in northern and eastern Sierra Leone, southern Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana; its range might extend to Togo. Common names coined for this species are Tanzania reed frog and variable montane sedge frog.

<i>Hyperolius pusillus</i> Species of amphibian

Hyperolius pusillus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found throughout diverse environments in eastern and southern Africa. It is a very common frog. Its natural habitats are open savanna, bush land and grassland. Breeding takes place in shallow pans, vleis, open swamps, and dams with floating vegetation such as water lilies.

Hyperolius sankuruensis, also known as the Omaniundu reed frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is known from its type locality, Omaniundu in the Sankuru Province, and from a number of unspecified other localities. It is one of the "lost" frogs that was rediscovered decades after the last previous sighting.

Hyperolius sheldricki is a species of small frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to southeast Kenya. The type locality is in the Tsavo East National Park.

<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.

Hyperolius sylvaticus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and western Cameroon, with a gap in Benin. It is also likely to occur in Liberia. Common name Bobiri reed frog has been coined for this species.

Hyperolius torrentis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is known from the Akwapim-Togo Ranges along the border between Ghana and Togo as well as from northeastern Benin. Common name Ukami reed frog has been coined for this species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Hyperolius argus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T56112A3035065. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T56112A3035065.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Hyperolius argus Peters, 1854". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Hyperolius argus ". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  4. ↑ Hayes, Tyrone B.; Menendez, Karen P. (August 1999). "The effect of sex steroids on primary and secondary sex differentiation in the sexually dichromatic reedfrog (Hyperolius argus: Hyperolidae) from the Arabuko Sokoke forest of Kenya". General and Comparative Endocrinology. 115 (2): 188–199. doi:10.1006/gcen.1999.7321. PMID   10417232.
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