Frog Friday - the Argus Reed Frog 

Happy FROG FRIDAY!! Today the spotlight is on the Argus Reed Frog (Hyperolius argus). The Argus Reed Frog is found in eastern South Africa and Mozambique with its range extending further north into Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Somalia. It is more heavily built than other reed frogs reaching sizes of 27-34 mm in length. Males are green or grey with small brown dots on their backs and a yellow lateral band edged with a broad black line from its snout to its flanks. Females are light to dark purple-brown with a horseshoe-shaped yellow to orange band edged in black from eye to eye over the snout; it may continue as a dorsolateral band, often broken into a few asymmetrical dots low on the back. Argus Reed Frogs have white or yellow bellies with a granular texture. 

Argus Reed Frogs occur in coastal bushveld grassland, at or close to sea level. They breed in temporary, shallow water-filled depressions or coastal pans, favouring those with emergent of floating vegetation.

Their call is a rapidly repeated cluck, males call from elevated positions on floating vegetation. 

The photo featured here is record number 14 from the FrogMAP database. The photo was taken by G. Diedericks in Mozambique at the Caia Bridge that crosses the Zambezi river. You can help us to map the Argus Reed Frog's 21st century distribution by submitting your photos to FrogMAP at http://vmus.adu.org.za/

Megan Loftie-Eaton
2012-08-10

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