South Africa’s rarest: Pickersgill’s reed frog Posted on 24 April 2020 South Africa has a multitude of endemic animal and plant species. The Pickersgill’s reed frog is a tiny amphibian that calls the wetlands of coastal KwaZulu-Natal home. According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) these tiny creatures are quiet frogs, as well as being secretive and quick-moving. This amphibian was named after Martin Pickersgill, the herpetologist who discovered the species in 1978 in Mount Edgecombe, Durban. This species of frog is particularly small, with males measuring 22mm and females measuring 29mm in length. According to SANBI, the colour of these amphibians varies, with males and juveniles appearing brown in colour. ‘Adult males are marked with a distinguishing dark-edged, light silvery, dorso-lateral band running from the snout to the hind quarters on each side.’ Females differ in colour greatly. They are a light, bright green colour and do not have the banding that males do. Their underbellies are both smooth and pale. The eyes do not protrude and their pupils are slit horizontally. Pickersgill’s reed frog, or Hyperolius pickersgilli, belongs to the amphibian family Hyperoliidae. Unfortunately, the Pickersgill’s reed frog is critically endangered. The small area that these frogs are found in is experiencing severe habitat fragmentation, and an ongoing decline in the quality of its natural habitat contributes to the Pickersgill’s critically endangered status. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tina 🐸🦎🐍🐢🕷🦂🦔 🇬🇧 (@tinald09) on Apr 13, 2017 at 8:49am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by ACTION FOR NATURE (@actionfornature) on May 8, 2019 at 8:30am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo (@joburgparkszoo) on Mar 5, 2019 at 9:24am PST Image: Twitter/ Rainforest Trust Related Posts The Lady in the Landy: Carla Geyser 7 February 2023 "We cannot sit back and wait for a miracle to happen; every one of us... read more 88 countries agree on shark fin regulation in historic vote 22 November 2022 Panama was host to CITES in November 2022. For the first time in history, 88... read more The big question after Plett’s fatal shark attack: Why? 27 September 2022 By now, we know that sharks are not the mindless killing machines that horror movies... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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