Fynbos frogs

(This document excludes the Table Mountain ghost frog, the Micro frog, and Cape platanna. If you've arrived at this site via a route other than UWC's ENVIRO FACTS GUIDE TO FYNBOS, you can find these frogs by searching the above link)
The Cape has more than half of South Africa's frog species. Furthermore, of the 62 different frogs occuring here, 29 are endemic being found nowhere else on earth. Below are just some of the frogs occuring in fynbos.
Frogs are found in a wide variety of habitats - from low-lying coastal areas, mountain tops, forests, desserts, to suburban gardens - and each type is perfectly adapted to its environment. Aquatic frogs (eg. platannas) have webbed feet for rapid swimming. Frogs that climb up reeds and shrubs (eg. reed frogs) or rock-faces (eg. ghost frogs) have suckers at the tips of their fingers and toes for adhesion, while burrowing frogs (eg. rain frogs) have spade-like protuberances on their feet. Colour and body markings vary considerably and conceal them from predators.
Each frog type has a distinctive call to recognise individuals of the same species. Males rely on this to attract females of the same kind to the breeding site. The metamorphosis from tadpoles to frogs usually takes several weeks but can continue for two years or longer depending on the type of frog as well as food and water availability. In many endemic fynbos frogs, there is no tadpole stage, the eggs developing directly into juvenile frogs which resemble the adults.
Frogs consume vast quantities of insects and contribute considerably to pest control.

The Arum lily frog, Hyperolius horstockii.
This attractive frog inhabits wetlands in the southern coastal lowlands extending from Cape Town to the Tsitsikamma region. These frogs are sometimes found in arum lily flowers where they can change colour to perfectly match the surroundings. This makes them virtually invisible to predators as well as to their insect prey.
Adult length: 40 mm.

The Cape mountain toad, Capensibufo rosei.
This toad is restricted to certain mountainous areas of the southwestern Cape where it inhabits fynbos marshes. It is believed to be the only South African species which does not possess a mating call. During the breeding season, these toads nevertheless congregate in large numbers and lay their eggs in long necklace-like strings in shallow water-filled depressions.
Adult length: 30 mm.

The Cape river frog, Rana fuscigula.
This large frog occurs virtually throughout the Cape provinces especially near to permanent water. It has a varied diet which includes insects, snails, small rodents, lizards, snakes and frogs (even their own kind). This species adapts well to man-made habitats and can often be found in garden fishponds.
Adult length: 120 mm.

The Sand rain frog, Breviceps rosei.
This unusual frog occurs in the sandy coastal regions of the southern and southwestern Cape. Rain frogs spend most of their lives underground and only come to the surface during rainy periods. They are unable to swim, and lay their eggs in special underground nests. The tadpoles develop inside the eggs and hatch as perfectly formed baby frogs. Adult length: 36 mm.

CREDITS FOR ABOVE PHOTOS AND TEXT
Photos: Atherton de Villiers (Cape nature Conservation)	Text: Atherton de Villiers (Cape nature Conservation) Aletta Jordaan (Cape nature Conservation) Alan Channing (University of the Western Cape) Gavin Maneveldt (University of the Western Cape)

Villiers' Moss frog, Arthroleptella villiersi.
This small fynbos endemic is found in damp mossy areas in the mountains from Cape Hangklip to Franschoek. It is one of four species of moss frogs, each living on a different mountain range. The males call during the day in wet weather. After fertilization has occured, females lay about 10 eggs under moss, where they develop directly into 4 mm juvenile frogs, again here is no tadpole stage. The male remains near the eggs, and continues to call.
Adult length: 18 mm.

The Giant Rain frog, Breviceps gibbosus.
This frog lives in the sandy flats between Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Piketberg. Male frogs are only about one fifth the size of the females. During mating, males call from beneath vegetation or from their burrows. Since he is too small to grasp the female, he secretes a sticky substance from his belly skin that glues him to the back of the female. Fertilization takes place in a burrow which the female has dug. The female remains burrowed near the eggs which then develop directly into young frogs - there is no tadpole stage.
Adult length: 45 mm.

The Montane Marsh frog, Poyntonia paludicola.
This very small, very warty fynbos endemic with attractive white or red stripes on its snout is found at high altitudes in seeps and shallow water bodies. Eggs of these frogs develop into large tadpoles which can be identified by their characteristic warty bodies.
Adult length: 22 mm.

CREDITS FOR ABOVE PHOTOS AND TEXT

Photos and text:
Alan Channing (University of the Western Cape)

Fynbos frogs edited by Gavin W. Maneveldt.

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