Hyperolius argus, known under common names Argus reed frog, Argus sedge frog, and Boror reed frog (and many others) is a hyperolid frog found in the eastern coastal plain of Africa from southern Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe to KwaZulu-Natal in eastern South Africa.[1][2]
| Hyperolius argus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Hyperolius argus females | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hyperoliidae |
| Genus: | Hyperolius |
| Species: | H. argus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hyperolius argus Peters, 1854
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| Synonyms | |
|
Hyperolius flavoviridis Peters, 1854 | |
Description
editHyperolius argus is sexually dichromatic: adult males are usually green, and females usually reddish-brown with large white spots. The coloration and pattern show geographic variation.[3]
Both females and males metamorphose to a solid green color without spots—the color of adult males. Under experimental conditions, the time from metamorphosis to the change to a female color pattern took about two months; for a male, the time from metamorphosis to the development of vocal sacs, with spontaneous vocalization and aggression, was about three months.[4]
The females attach the eggs to vegetation below the surface of the water (possibly caused by raising water level). The female can lay in total about 200 eggs in clusters of about 30 eggs.[3]
Habitat and conservation
editHyperolius argus is a common species living near water in low elevation dense, humid savanna and grassland. Breeding takes place in vegetated shallow pans, vleis and marshes, typically in temporary water.[1]
Even though this species does not face major threats, it is affected by urban expansion, agricultural intensification, and introduced species (bass).[1]
Gallery
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Female reed frogs of different patterns -
Male reed frog
References
edit- ^ a b c d IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Hyperolius argus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T56112A3035065. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T56112A3035065.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Hyperolius argus Peters, 1854". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Hyperolius argus ". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ Hayes, Tyrone B.; Menendez, Karen P. (August 1999). "The effect of sex steroids on primary and secondary sex differentiation in the sexually dichromatic reedfrog (Hyperolius argus: Hyperolidae) from the Arabuko Sokoke forest of Kenya". General and Comparative Endocrinology. 115 (2): 188–199. doi:10.1006/gcen.1999.7321. PMID 10417232.