Weale's running frog


Weale's running frog, also known as Weale's frog, rattling frog, and many other commons names, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is monotypic within the genus Semnodactylus. It is found in southern and eastern South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini.

Etymology

The specific name wealii honours James Philip Mansel Weale, an English amateur entomologist who farmed in Bedford, Eastern Cape, and sent specimens to England.

Description

Semnodactylus wealii grow to in snout–vent length. The limbs are thin and long. The dorsum is yellowish-brownto grey and has three dark longitudinal bands, each with a pale center. The flanks have a dark stripe or a series of blotches. The concealed parts of the limbs are yellow to orange. The throat in breeding males is black.
The male advertisement call is a low-pitched creak, resembling the sound of a cork being removed from a bottle.

Habitat and conservation

Weale's running frog is a common frog mostly occurring in grassland habitats at elevations below ; in Western Cape it is also found in fynbos heath. It breeds in all sort of ponds that have emergent vegetation. It is present in many protected areas, tolerates disturbance, and is not facing any major threats.