African Clawed Frogs

Xenopus

African Clawed Frogs are fun and friendly frogs that love to swim! They have special claws on their feet that help them dig and catch food in the water.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The African Clawed Frog has a flattened, olive-green to brownish body with a pale underside. It has small eyes on top of its head, no eyelids, and fully webbed hind feet with three sharp black claws on its inner toes.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAmphibiaOrderAnuraFamilyPipidaeGenusXenopus

African Clawed Frogs

Interesting facts

African Clawed Frogs don't have a tongue and use their tiny hands to shove food into their mouths!

These frogs were once used for early pregnancy tests because they react to hormones!

They can survive droughts by burying themselves in mud and forming a protective cocoon!

They can swim backward and forward with equal ease, making them excellent underwater maneuverers!

Special abilities

African Clawed Frogs can detect vibrations in water using a special lateral line system, helping them find prey in murky ponds.

African Clawed Frogs have sharp black claws on their back feet that help them dig into mud and tear apart food.

African Clawed Frogs have no eyelids, so their eyes are always open, protected by a layer of mucus underwater.

Measurements & details

Length: 5-13 cm
Weight: 0.02-0.2 kg
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Top Speed: 7 km/h
Clutch Size: 500-2000
Metamorphosis: 42-70 days

Diet & Feeding

These hungry frogs eat almost anything they can fit into their mouths, mostly meat!

Age differences: Young tadpoles are filter-feeders, straining tiny particles from the water.

Primary Foods

aquatic insects
crustaceans
small fish
tadpoles
worms
carrion

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eats

water flea

Daphnia pulex

Consumes tiny water fleas and other aquatic invertebrates.

eats

Nile Tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

Sometimes preys on small fish and tadpoles, including tilapia.

eaten by

African Sharptooth Catfish

Clarias gariepinus

Large African catfish are known predators of these frogs.

eaten by

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

Herons are common bird predators in their watery habitats.

Traits

Webbed Feet

Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.