Common Names: Namaqua Rain Frog, Namakwa Reënpadda (Afrikaans)
Scientific Name: Breviceps namaquensis
Family: Brevicipidae – African Rain Frog family
Location: Namibia and South Africa
Female Size: 1.8 inches (45 mm)
Male Size: smaller than females
The Namaqua Rain Frog lives in the sandy areas of the karroo, a semi desert region in South Africa. The frog has a small, round, brown body with small legs and head. The frog spends most of their time underground, only coming up at night to eat and to mate.
The male frogs call in winter and spring though calling has been observed in the summer and fall sporadically. They call from concealed position underneath vegetation. Once a female frog selects the mate, she carries the male on her back back to her underground den. There, the female frog lays her eggs and the male frog fertilizes them. The species is a direct developing species, skipping the tadpole phase.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Namaqua Rain Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. This is due to the frog’s good sized range and a presumed large population. There are currently no main threats for the species.