Rose's rain frog

Rose's Rain Frog
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Brevicipitidae
Genus: Breviceps
Species: B. rosei
Binomial name
Breviceps rosei
Power, 1926

Rose's Rain Frog[2] or Rose's Rainfrog[3] (Breviceps rosei) is a species of frog in the Brevicipitidae family.[4] It is endemic to the sandveld of south-western coastal South Africa.[5] It is less-frequently known as Rose's Short-headed Frog,[6] Rose's Blaasop,[7] or the Sand Rain Frog.[8] Some consider Breviceps fasciatus as synonym of this species,[9] although other authorities have expressed doubt.[1]

Frogs in this species spend most of their lives in subterranean nests under sandy ground, where they lay their eggs. They surface during heavy rain. They cannot swim, and are not found in water. Tadpoles develop inside the eggs and hatch as fully formed baby frogs.[10]

Habitats

Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland, Fynbos Mediterranean shrubland vegetation, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, and urban areas. It is threatened by habitat loss, and its range it restricted to less than 20,000 square kilometers.[1] Despite this, its future seems secure, as it is very adaptable and remains locally abundant.[11]

Subspecies

There are two subspecies: Breviceps r. rosei and Breviceps r. vansoni, occurring on separate coasts.[11]

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Harrison, J., Minter, L. & Channing, A. 2004. Breviceps rosei. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 July 2007.
  2. ↑ Channing, Alan. 2001. Amphibians of Central South Africa: pg. 224
  3. ↑ Van Dijk, 1978, J. Herpetologist Association of Africa, 17: pg. 15
  4. ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2013). "Names described as 'Breviceps rosei'". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.6 (9 January 2013). Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  5. ↑ Frost, Darrel. Breviceps rosei, Amphibian Species of the World 5.0, The American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved July 23, 2007.
  6. ↑ Frank and Ramus, 1995, Compl. Guide Scient. Common Names Amph. Rept. World: 88
  7. ↑ Rose, 1950, Rep. Amph. S. Afr.: 93
  8. ↑ Passmore and Carruthers, 1978, J. Herpetol. Assoc. Afr., 19: 4; Passmore and Carruthers, 1979, S. Afr. Frogs: 96
  9. ↑ Poynton, 1964, Ann. Natal Mus., 17: 77.
  10. ↑ Channing, Alan. University of the Western Cape. Reproduced in Fynbos Frogs. Retrieved July 23, 2007.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Breviceps rosei, Amphibiaweb, retrieved July 23, 2007.