Hyperolius pusillus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hyperolius pusillus |
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| Waterlily reed frog from Ilanda Wilds, South Africa | |
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Hyperolius microps Günther, 1864 |
The waterlily reed frog (also called the dwarf reed frog) is a tiny frog that lives in Africa. Its scientific name is Hyperolius pusillus.
These small frogs are very common. You can find them in many different places across eastern and southern Africa. They like open areas like savannas, bush lands, and grasslands.
Waterlily reed frogs love water. They often breed in shallow ponds, swamps, and dams. They especially like places with floating plants, like water lilies.
Sometimes, the waterlily reed frog looks a lot like another frog species, Hyperolius argus. That frog also lives in eastern and southern Africa.
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Where Does This Frog Live?
The waterlily reed frog lives in many parts of eastern and southern Africa. You can find large groups of them in southern Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
They also live in northern Malawi and Botswana. These frogs might even be found in western Kenya and parts of Uganda.
You can also spot Hyperolius pusillus in countries like Eswatini, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania. Frogs from different areas can have different colors.
What Does This Frog Look Like?
Waterlily reed frogs come in different colors depending on where they live. They are usually green. Their bodies often have darker spots.
Some frogs, like those in Kenya, even have cool patterns. These patterns can look like an hourglass shape on their backs.
Male and female frogs have a special difference in color. This is called Sexual dimorphism. Males have a white throat, while females have a green throat. Both male and female frogs have shiny gold eyes.
Life Cycle of the Waterlily Reed Frog
Male waterlily reed frogs call out from floating plants to attract females. This is different from some other frogs, like Hyperolius viridis, which call from wet grassy areas.
When a female frog is ready, she lays her eggs. She lays batches of 20 to 120 eggs at a time. She places these eggs among floating plants in the water.
The eggs of Hyperolius pusillus are light green. When the eggs hatch, the baby frogs are called tadpoles. Tadpoles are green at first. As they grow older, they turn green-brown and have black tails.
Is This Frog Safe?
The waterlily reed frog lives in a very large area. It is a common frog, and sometimes there are many of them. We don't know if their numbers are going up or down.
However, this frog doesn't seem to have any big threats. It can adapt well to different places. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a species of "least concern". This means it is not in danger right now.
Gallery
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An adult frog on a human hand
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A waterlily reed frog among plants
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A waterlily reed frog on a tree leaf
