Saturday, June 2, 2012

African Frog



Animals Unique | African Frog | African clawed Frog Classification and Evolution
The African clawed Frog is a large species of flat Frog That is primarily found dwelling at the bottom of lakes and rivers. The African clawed Frog is also known as the Platanna and has a number of very unique features That means it is specially adapted to it's habitat. The African clawed Frog is thought to have originated in South Africa, and is today found across the African continent naturally. The African clawed Frog has also been introduced to the Americas and parts of Europe.

 
African clawed Frog Anatomy and Appearance
The average adult African clawed Frog Grows to about 12 cm in length, and weighs around 200g. The African clawed Frog is Often a greenish, gray color although other colors of the African clawed Frog are not uncommon (Such as albino). The color of the African clawed Frog's skin, along with it's mottled pattern, Gives it more camouflage from hungry predators. They have a line of stitch-marks along either side of the which act as Their bodies sense organs to detect prey in the surrounding water. Their eyes and nose are located on top of the head enabling them to see and breathe but without being too visible.

African clawed Frog Distribution and Habitat
The African clawed Frog is most commonly found in eastern and southern Africa, along the African Rift Valley where They prefer stagnant waters to fast-flowing streams. African clawed Frogs are bottom-dwelling animals and will only leave the safety of the water if They are forced to migrate. They Inhabit shallow warm Creeks and rivers during the summer and move into the flooded forests during the rainy season. Due to introduction by Humans, the African clawed Frog can now be found in freshwater habitats Numerous outside of Africa where They can be a very invasive species.

 
African clawed Frog Behaviour and Lifestyle
The African clawed Frog spends its whole life in water, except for poking its head up to the surface from time to time to breathe. The African clawed Frog can swim at speeds Astonishing sideways, backwards, forwards, up and down, and in all other directions. It is a ferocious predator and once food has been spotted, the African clawed Frog Catches then it's prey using it's claws, the which shovel it into the African clawed Frog's mouth. The African clawed Frog has evolved very successfully as a bottom-dwelling animal, the which means That it has Greater protection from predators and a better choice of food.

African clawed Frog Reproduction and Life Cycles
Female African clawed Frogs are nearly double the size Often of the lazy, and are Able to reproduce more than once a year. After mating, the female African clawed Frog can lay Thousands of eggs at a time on an underwater object, the which are held together in the water by a jelly-like substance. After Hatching, the African clawed Frog Their tadpoles begin life in the water until They grow legs and are Able to venture out onto the river banks if need be. The African clawed Frog is known to have a long lifespan for small aquatic animals, and can live to around 5 to 15 years in the wild. Some adult African clawed Frogs have been recorded to live to nearly 30 years old in captivity.

 
African clawed Frog Diet and Prey
The African clawed Frog is a Carnivorous animal and an apex predator within it's underwater environment. The African clawed Frog's play Water Bugs and food is small but the African clawed Fish Frog is also known to eat it's own skin Whenever it is shed. African clawed Frogs also hunt other small invertebrates Such as Insects, Spiders and Worms, the which it scoops into it's mouth using it's clawed front feet. African clawed Frogs in captivity have a much less varied diet primarily consists of the which Worms.

African clawed Frog Predators and Threats
Due to its small size, the African clawed Frog has a number of natural predators within its native environment, that occur both in and out of the water. Small Mammals Including rodents, Cats and Dogs, Birds and Reptiles and Numerous, all prey on the African clawed Frog, but Their Herons are most common threat. By living on the muddy bottoms of lakes and rivers, the African clawed Frog can REMAIN Safely hidden for much of the time, and only it's eyes and nose Appear above the water-line when it surfaces. Although not as vulnerable as many other amphibians, the African clawed Frog is also being Threatened by water pollution.

 
African clawed Frog Interesting Facts and Features
The African clawed Frog is named for Their unique feet, as Hind feet are webbed Their Their front legs but have clawed toes instead, the which are used to help shovel food into their mouths. In the 1940s the African clawed Frog Became the world's first pregnancy test for Humans, the which although Barbaric, has led to them being found worldwide today. The African clawed Frog has also been a popular test subject for scientific research for in general. They are known to be highly aggressive animals and particularly ferocious amphibians.

African clawed Frog Relationship with Humans
Over the years, Humans have managed to find a number of uses for the African clawed Frog in our day to day lives. The most notable (and probably cruellest) of these was the use of practises the African clawed Frog Females as a type of pregnancy test. The hormone produced by the Human babies (passed on through the mother's urine) known as HCG, induces ovulation in the female African clawed Frog. Humans also use them in laboratories worldwide for research and teaching.Habitat loss and water pollution Caused by people nearby is also having a drastic effect on the African clawed Frog Populations.

 
African clawed Frog Conservation Status and Life Today
Although the African clawed Frog has been classified as being at Least Concern from imminent extinction, population numbers have fallen in Certain areas due to deteriorating water quality. Elsewhere, African clawed Frog Populations around the world have Become Often non-native pests to the local plants and wildlife.
 
 
African Frog Facts
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pipidae
Genus: Xenopus
Scientific Name: Xenopus laevis
Common Name: African clawed Frog
Other Name (s): Platanna
Group: Amphibian
Number Of Species: 1
Location: eastern and southern Africa
Habitat: Warm stagnant water with Grassland
Colour: Brown, Grey, Albino
Skin Type: Permeable Scales
Size (L): 2.5cm - 12cm (1in - 5in)
Weight: 25g - 220g (1oz - 8oz)
Top Speed: 8km / h (5mph)
Diet: Carnivore
Prey: Small Fish, Insects, Spiders
Predators: Snakes, Birds, Small Mammals
Lifestyle: Nocturnal
Group Behaviour: Solitary
Water Type: Fresh
Life Span: 8-15 years
Age Of Sexual Maturity: 10-12 months
Incubation Period: 4-5 days
Average Spawn Size: 2.000
Name Of Young: Tadpole
Age Of Independance: 5 days
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Estimated Population Size: abundant
Biggest Threat: Water pollution
Most Distinctive Feature: clawed front toes
Fun Fact: A particularly ferocious amphibian!

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