Frog of the Week

Spotted Snout Burrower (Hemisus guttatus)

Spotted Snout-Burrower
photo by Wayne Sullivan Rawlinson

Common Name: Spotted Snout Burrower
Scientific Name: Hemisus guttatus
Family: Hemisotidae – Shovel-Nosed Frog Family
Locations: South Africa
Size: 3 inches (80 mm)

The Spotted Snout Burrower lives in the loose, sandy soils in the grasslands and savannas of the South Africa. The frog starts to breed at the start of the rainy season. The male will grab the female from behind in the amplexus position while the female digs a burrow. The female lays her eggs in the burrow and the male fertilizes them.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Spotted Snout Burrower as Near Threatened with Extinction. Although the frog is wide spread, decreases in quality habitat is causing population declines. Also, the species habitat is severely fragmented.

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