African Clawed Frog

A particularly ferocious amphibian!
African Clawed Frog Scientific Classification
Scientific name
Xenopus laevis
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Amphibia
Family
Pipidae
Order
Anura
Genus
Xenopus
African Clawed Frog Physical Characteristics
Color
Brown, Grey, Albino
Population
Abundant
Lifespan
8 – 15 years
Top speed
5 mph
Weight
25g – 220g (1oz – 8oz)
African Clawed Frog Distribition

African Clawed Frog Classification and Evolution

The African Clawed Frog is a large species of flat Frog this is ordinarily determined residing at the lowest of lakes and rivers. The African Clawed Frog is likewise referred to as the Platanna and has some of very particular functions that imply it’s far in particular tailored to its habitat. The African Clawed Frog is notion to have originated in South Africa, and is these days determined evidently throughout the African continent. The African Clawed Frog has additionally been added to the Americas and elements of Europe.

African Clawed Frog Anatomy and Appearance

The common grownup African Clawed Frog grows to approximately 12 cm in length, and weighs round 200g. The African Clawed Frog is usually a greenish, gray color even though different shades of the African Clawed Frog aren’t uncommon (along with albino). The color of the African Clawed Frog’s pores and skin, along side its mottled pattern, offers it extra camouflage from hungry predators. They have a line of stitch-marks alongside both aspect in their our bodies which act as feel organs to discover prey withinside the surrounding water. Their eyes and nostril are placed on pinnacle of the pinnacle permitting them to look and breathe however with out being too visible.

African Clawed Frog Distribution and Habitat

The African Clawed Frog is maximum typically determined in jap and southern Africa, alongside the African Rift Valley wherein they opt for stagnant waters to fast-flowing streams. African Clawed Frogs are bottom-residing animals and could most effective depart the protection of the water if they may be compelled to migrate. They inhabit heat shallow creeks and rivers at some point of the summer time season and flow into the flooded forests at some point of the wet season. Due to creation with the aid of using Humans, the African Clawed Frog can now be determined in severa freshwater habitats outdoor of Africa wherein they may be a completely invasive species.

African Clawed Frog Behaviour and Lifestyle

The African Clawed Frog spends its complete lifestyles in water, besides for poking its head as much as the floor occasionally to breathe. The African Clawed Frog can swim at wonderful speeds sideways, backwards, forwards, up and down, and in all different directions. It is a ferocious predator and as soon as meals has been spotted, the African Clawed Frog then catches its prey the use of its claws, which shovel it into the African Clawed Frog’s mouth. The African Clawed Frog has advanced very correctly as a bottom-residing animal, this means that that it has more safety from predators and a higher preference of meals.

African Clawed Frog Reproduction and Life Cycles

Female African Clawed Frogs are regularly almost double the scale of the males, and are capable of reproduce extra than as soon as a year. After mating, the lady African Clawed Frog can lay lots of eggs at a time on an underwater object, which might be held collectively withinside the water with the aid of using a jelly-like substance. After hatching, the African Clawed Frog tadpoles start their lifestyles withinside the water till they develop legs and are capable of mission out onto the river banks if want be. The African Clawed Frog is understood to have a protracted lifespan for small aquatic animals, and may stay to round five to fifteen years withinside the wild. Some grownup African Clawed Frogs had been recorded to stay to almost 30 years vintage in captivity.

African Clawed Frog Diet and Prey

The African Clawed Frog is a carnivorous animal and an apex predator inside its underwater environment. The African Clawed Frog’s fundamental meals is Water Bugs and small Fish however the African Clawed Frog is likewise regarded to devour its personal pores and skin on every occasion it’s far shed. African Clawed Frogs additionally hunt different small invertebrates along with Insects, Spiders and Worms, which it scoops into its mouth the use of its clawed the front ft. African Clawed Frogs in captivity have a far much less numerous weight loss program which ordinarily includes Worms.

African Clawed Frog Predators and Threats

Due to its small size, the African Clawed Frog has some of herbal predators inside its local environment, that arise each inside and outside of the water. Small mammals such as Rodents, Cats and Dogs, and severa Birds and Reptiles, all prey at the African Clawed Frog, however herons are their maximum not unusualplace threat. By residing at the muddy bottoms of lakes and rivers, the African Clawed Frog can stay thoroughly hidden for a great deal of the time, and most effective its eyes and nostril seem above the water-line whilst it surfaces. Although now no longer as inclined as many different amphibians, the African Clawed Frog is likewise being threatened with the aid of using water pollutants.

African Clawed Frog Interesting Facts and Features

The African Clawed Frog is known as for his or her particular ft, as their hind ft are webbed however their the front legs have clawed feet instead, which might be used to assist shovel meals into their mouths. In the Nineteen Forties the African Clawed Frog have become the arena’s first being pregnant take a look at for Humans, which even though barbaric, has brought about them being determined global these days. The African Clawed Frog has additionally been a famous take a look at challenge for medical studies for in general. They are regarded to be incredibly competitive animals and especially ferocious amphibians.

African Clawed Frog Relationship with Humans

Over the years, Humans have controlled to discover some of makes use of for the African Clawed Frog in our everyday lives. The maximum notable (and in all likelihood cruellest) of those practises became using the African Clawed Frog ladies as a form of being pregnant take a look at. The hormone produced with the aid of using Human babies (handed on via the mother’s urine) referred to as HCG, induces ovulation withinside the lady African Clawed Frog. Humans additionally use them in laboratories global for studies and teaching. Habitat loss and water pollutants as a result of human beings close by is likewise having a drastic impact on African Clawed Frog populations.

African Clawed Frog Conservation Status and Life Today

Although the African Clawed Frog has been categorised as being at Least Concern from drawing close extinction, populace numbers have fallen in sure regions because of deteriorating water quality. Elsewhere, African Clawed Frog populations round the arena have regularly come to be non-local pests to the neighborhood plant life and wildlife.

References:

  1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World’s Wildlife
  2. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
  3. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
  4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
  5. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
  6. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals
  7. African Clawed Frog Threats, Available here: http://aquaticfrogs.tripod.com/id10.html
  8. African Clawed Frog Information, Available here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Africanclawedfrog.cfm
  9. African Clawed Frog Anatomy, Available here: http://www.petstation.com/clfrog.html
  10. About Clawed Frogs, Available here: http://www.clawedfrogs.com/id1.html
  11. African Clawed Frogs, Available here: http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/species/clawed.html

Relate animals

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

They are one of the oldest breeds of guinea pig

Ackie Monitor

The ackie monitor has a spiny tail which it uses as in self-defense.

Albertonectes

The Albertonectes had the longest neck out of other Elasmosaurids.

American Bully

Though the American bully was bred to look intimidating, it makes an extremely friendly family pet!

Latest Animal News