Common Name: Strawberry Rain Frog, Cape Short-head Frog
Scientific Name: Breviceps acutirostris
Family: Brevicipitidae – African Rain Frog family
Location: South Africa
Female Size: 1.6 inches (40 mm)
Male Size: 1.0 inches (25 mm)
Like most Rain Frogs, the Strawberry Rain Frog is a primarily a fossorial species of frog, spending most of their time burrowed underground. They come to the surface to mate during the winter and spring (June to November) after or during heavy rain fall. Hence the name Rain Frog, since they are only seen during the rain. I have no idea why they are called the Strawberry Rain Frog though.
The male frogs call out to attract the female frogs. Exact specifics about the Strawberry Rain Frog are lacking. In other species of Rain Frogs, the male frog sticks onto the back of the female frog. Then, the female frog carries the male down into a burrow where she lays her eggs. For the Strawberry Rain Frog, the female frog lays up to 24 eggs. The eggs hatch directly into froglets, skipping the tadpole phase.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Strawberry Rain Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. While the frog has a small range, the population is believed to be large and there doesn’t seem to be any serious threats.