Amphibians · Anura · Heleophrynidae

Purcell's Ghost Frog

Heleophryne purcelli

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Purcell's ghost frog, or Cape ghost frog, is an anuran amphibian of the family Heleophrynidae. It is endemic to South Africa, found in and around mountain streams, where the adhesive pads on its toes help it climb over the slippery rocks of fast-flowing water. The tadpoles take about two years to reach adulthood.

Size

3 cm – 6 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

MountainFreshwaterInsectivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Mountain Freshwater

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Fun facts

Its tadpoles have a mouth turned into a sucker with which they cling to the rocks of the torrent, rasping algae off the stone without letting go despite the current.
The family to which it belongs, the Heleophrynidae, is endemic to southern Africa, an isolated lineage with no close relatives on any other continent.
Its tadpoles can take up to two years to complete metamorphosis, an extremely slow development in cold, nutrient-poor water.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Fast torrents, waterfalls and rocky gorges of the Cape mountains, in South Africa
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: Larval development lasting up to 2 years in torrents
Litter / clutch size: 150 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heleophryne_purcelli