Afrixalus weidholzi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Afrixalus weidholzi |
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Megalixalus weidholzi Mertens, 1938, |
Afrixalus weidholzi is a small type of frog that belongs to the family Hyperoliidae. It's often called the Weidholz's banana frog or Weidholz's leaf-folding frog. These names come from its unique way of life.
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Where Does This Frog Live?
This frog lives in many places across Africa. You can find it in savannas, which are grassy areas with scattered trees. Its home stretches from Gambia and Senegal in the west all the way to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It also lives near the border of South Sudan.
Scientists think it might live in even more countries. This is because not many frog studies have happened in those areas. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has confirmed its presence in these countries:
- Gambia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Mali
- Ivory Coast
- Ghana
- Togo
- Benin
- Nigeria
- Cameroon
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- South Sudan
It is also expected to be found in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Sudan.
Why Is It Called That?
The second part of the frog's scientific name, weidholzi, honors a person. It is named after Alfred Weidholz. He was an Austrian wildlife dealer, explorer, and traveler.
What Does It Look Like?
The Weidholz's banana frog is quite small. Adult frogs are about 18 to 23 millimeters long. That's less than an inch! Their back is whitish to yellow. They have a thin, dark line down their back, especially near the tail. There's also a wider, dark stripe on each side. This stripe runs from their nose all the way to their back legs.
How Do They Reproduce?
Male frogs make calls from thick, low grass. This grass usually grows in areas with a few centimeters of water. Their call is a quiet, high-pitched buzzing sound.
Female frogs lay their eggs in small groups. They place them on grass leaves that are folded over. The eggs are glued together by a jelly-like substance. When the baby frogs, called froglets, first hatch, they are about 10.5 millimeters long.
Where Do They Live and Are They Safe?
This frog's natural home is in savannas. These can be dense, moist savannas or drier, more open ones. They breed in temporary ponds, which are small pools of water that dry up sometimes.
The Weidholz's banana frog can handle some changes to its home. For example, it might be affected by too many animals eating the grass (overgrazing). But this is usually a small problem in only a few places.
This frog can be very common in certain areas. It is also quite good at living even when its habitat changes a bit. Because of this, scientists do not consider it to be a threatened species. It lives in the Kyabobo National Park in Ghana. It probably lives in several other protected areas too.
