| African Bullfrog | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Range | South Africa |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Amphibia |
| Order | Anura |
| Family | Pyxicephalidae |
| Genus | Pyxicephalus |
| Species | Pyxicephalus adspersus |
| Conservation Status | |
 Least Concern | |
The African bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus) is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is also known as the pixie frog due to its scientific name. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Feeding and habits[]
The African bullfrog is a voracious predator, consuming insects and other invertebrates, small rodents, reptiles, tiny birds, fish, and amphibians that can fit in its jaws. It is also a cannibalistic species, with male African bullfrogs occasionally eating the tadpoles they defend, and juveniles will not hesitate to consume tadpoles. An African bullfrog at the Pretoria Zoo in South Africa once ate 17 juvenile Rinkhals snakes in a single day. Hemachatus haemachatus.
When exposed to dry conditions, they go inactive and can build a cocoon that covers the entire body surface except for the external nostrils. The cocoon considerably reduces the rate of evaporative water loss. When it rains, the water softens the cocoon, and the frog emerges.
Reproduction[]
During the rainy season, male African bullfrogs scream out. The call is roughly a second long and sounds like a low whoop. Males have two breeding methods based on their age. Young males gather in a limited region, possibly only 1-2 m2 (11-22 sq ft) of shallow water. The larger males dominate the center of these breeding arenas, or leks, and try to drive away rival males.
They frequently fight, resulting in harm or even death. The dominant male strives to keep other men from reproducing. A female approaches the group of males by swimming along the water's surface until she is within a few meters of them. The female then dives to evade the smaller guys, emerging in the guarded region of a larger male in the center of the group. This ensures that she mates with the dominant guy.