Amphibians · Anura · Brevicipitidae

Bushveld Rain Frog

Breviceps adspersus

Least Concern

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

The bushveld rain frog is a spherical frog with extremely short legs that lives buried for most of the year in the savannahs of southern Africa. It can neither jump nor swim, and its young develop completely inside the egg underground, without passing through a tadpole stage. It is famous for the high-pitched squeal it gives as it inflates when disturbed.

Size

4 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

SavannaDesertGrasslandInsectivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Savanna Desert Grassland

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Fun facts

It can neither jump nor swim: its legs are so short that it only walks, and if it falls into water it drowns, which is extraordinary in a frog.
When it feels threatened it inflates like a balloon until it is wedged into its burrow and gives a high, plaintive squeal that has become famous on the internet.
The male is so small compared with the female that he cannot get his arms around her for amplexus: she secretes a glue through the skin of her back that keeps him stuck on until spawning is over.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Sandy savannah, grassland and scrub of southern Africa
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: Direct development underground, with no tadpole stage
Litter / clutch size: 25 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/