Ghost frogs
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 Distribution of Heleophrynidae (in black)
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Heleophryne hewitti |
The Heleophrynidae, is a family of order Anura, commonly known as ghost frogs. The family consists of a single genus, Heleophryne, and six species. These frogs live in swift-moving streams found in the mountainous areas in South Africa. The common name of "ghost frogs" may have been coined because of their occurrence in Skeleton Gorge.
The ghost frogs habit mountain streams, within their distribution, and have morphological adaptation suited to surviving on the rocks around these streams. They are medium sized frogs, reaching a length of 6 centimetres, with flat bodies. They have very large toe discs in comparison to their size, which helps to cling onto rocks. The mouthparts of the tadpoles are modified into a sucking disc, to allow them to cling to substrates, and remain still, while they are feeding.
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[edit] Taxonomy
The ghost frogs are closely related to the Sooglossidae family, which inhabit Seychelles, an island close to the African coast. They may also be closely related to the Australian Myobatrachids.
- Hewitt's Ghost Frog, Heleophryne hewitti Boycott, 1988
- Natal Ghost Frog, Heleophryne natalensis Hewitt, 1913
- Eastern Ghost Frog, Heleophryne orientalis FitzSimons, 1946
- Purcell's Ghost Frog, Heleophryne purcelli Sclater, 1898
- Royal Ghost Frog, Heleophryne regis Hewitt, 1910
- Rose's Ghost Frog, Heleophryne rosei Hewitt, 1925
[edit] EDGE endangered species
On January 21, 2008, Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE), per chief Helen Meredith identified nature's most weird, wonderful and endangered species: "The EDGE amphibians are amongst the most remarkable and unusual species on the planet and yet an alarming 85% of the top 100 are receiving little or no conservation attention." The top 10 endangered species (in the List of endangered animal species include: the Chinese giant salamander, a distant relative of the newt, the tiny Gardiner's Seychelles Frog, the limbless Sagalla caecilian, South African ghost frogs, lungless Mexican salamanders, the Malagasy rainbow frog, Chile's Darwin frog (Rhinoderma rufum) and the Betic Midwife Toad.[1][2][3][4]
[edit] References
- Cogger, H.G.; R.G. Zweifel, and D. Kirschner (2004). Encyclopedia of Reptiles & Amphibians Second Edition. Fog City Press. ISBN 1-877019-69-0.
