Details
Xenopus laevis
The African clawed frog is a fully aquatic frog of sub-Saharan Africa. Lacking a tongue, it uses black hind-foot claws and quick forelimbs to tear and handle food.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits ponds, lakes, marshes and slow channels across southern and eastern Africa. It can survive dry periods in mud and has become introduced in many countries.
Adults are 5-12 cm long. The flattened body, upward-facing eyes and fully webbed hind feet suit life in water, while the front fingers push food into the mouth.
Mostly nocturnal and almost entirely aquatic, it surfaces to breathe. Vibrations and scent help it locate prey in murky water.
Aquatic insects, crustaceans, worms, small fish, eggs and carrion are eaten. Suction feeding and forelimb movements draw food into the mouth.
Pairs clasp underwater, and females attach many eggs to vegetation or other submerged surfaces. Tadpoles are translucent and feed by filtering particles.
This species became a major laboratory animal and was once used in pregnancy testing. Introduced populations can prey on native amphibians and spread pathogens.
