Shovelnose frog

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Shovelnose frogs
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Suborder: Neobatrachia Family: Hemisotidae Cope, 1867 Genus: Hemisus Günther, 1859
Distribution of Hemisotidae (in black)
Species
Hemisus barotseensis Hemisus brachydactylus Hemisus guineensis Hemisus guttatus Hemisus marmoratus Hemisus microscaphus Hemisus olivaceus Hemisus perreti Hemisus wittei

The shovelnose frogs are nine species of frog in the genus, Hemisus, the only genus in the Family (biology) Hemisotidae. They are found in tropical and subtropical sub-Saharan Africa. The shovelnose frogs are moderate sized frogs, reaching a length of 80 millimetres. They are round-bodied, with short legs. Their head is small and narrow, with a hard, upturned nose.

The shovelnose frogs are burrowing frogs, living most of their life underground. The female will dig underground while it is in amplexus, and lay the eggs in an underground cavity. The male will leave through the tunnel, and the female will remain with the eggs. Once sufficient rain has fallen, the female will burrow, with her nose, towards a water soure where the tadpoles will habit until metamorphosis. The tadpoles may remain out of water for up to a few days before going into water.

Unlike most burrowing frogs, the shovelnose frogs burrow head first, as opposed to rear first. Some species are kept as pets.

[edit] Species

• Hemisus barotseensis (Channing & Broadley, 2002)
• Hemisus brachydactylus (Laurent, 1963)
• Hemisus guineensis (Cope, 1865)
• Hemisus guttatus (Rapp, 1842)
• Hemisus marmoratus (Steindachner, 1863)
• Hemisus microscaphus (Laurent, 1972)
• Hemisus olivaceus (Laurent, 1963)
• Hemisus perreti (Laurent, 1972)
• Hemisus wittei (Laurent, 1963)

[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. 
• Amphibian Species of the World: Hemisus

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