Shovelnose frog
Encyclopedia
The shovelnose frogs are nine species
of frog
in the genus
, Hemisus, the only genus
in the Family
Hemisotidae. They are found in tropical and subtropical sub-Saharan Africa
. The shovelnose frogs are moderate sized frogs, reaching a length of 8 centimetres (3.1 in). They are round-bodied, with short legs. Their head is small and narrow, with a hard, upturned nose.
The shovelnose frogs are burrowing
frogs, living most of their life underground. The female will dig underground while it is in amplexus
, and lay the eggs
in an underground cavity. The male will leave through the tunnel, and the female will remain with the eggs. Once sufficient rain has fallen, the female will burrow, with her nose, towards a water source where the tadpole
s will remain until metamorphosis. The tadpoles may remain out of water for up to a few days.
Unlike most burrowing frogs, the shovelnose frogs burrow head first, as opposed to rear first. Some species are kept as pets.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, Hemisus, the only genus
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
in the Family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Hemisotidae. They are found in tropical and subtropical sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
. The shovelnose frogs are moderate sized frogs, reaching a length of 8 centimetres (3.1 in). They are round-bodied, with short legs. Their head is small and narrow, with a hard, upturned nose.
The shovelnose frogs are burrowing
Fossorial
A fossorial organism is one that is adapted to digging and life underground such as the badger, the naked mole rat, and the mole salamanders Ambystomatidae...
frogs, living most of their life underground. The female will dig underground while it is in amplexus
Amplexus
Amplexus is a form of pseudocopulation in which a male amphibian grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process...
, and lay the eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
in an underground cavity. The male will leave through the tunnel, and the female will remain with the eggs. Once sufficient rain has fallen, the female will burrow, with her nose, towards a water source where the tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s will remain until metamorphosis. The tadpoles may remain out of water for up to a few days.
Unlike most burrowing frogs, the shovelnose frogs burrow head first, as opposed to rear first. Some species are kept as pets.
Species
Family HEMISOTIDAE- Genus Hemisus
- Hemisus barotseensisHemisus barotseensisHemisus barotseensis is a species of frog in the Hemisotidae family.It is endemic to Zambia.Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and intermittent freshwater marshes.-Source:...
- Mongu Shovelnose Frog (Channing & Broadley, 2002) - Hemisus brachydactylus - Masiliwa Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1963)
- Hemisus guineensis - Guinea Shovelnose Frog (CopeEdward Drinker CopeEdward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen...
, 1865) - Hemisus guttatus - Spotted Shovelnose Frog (Rapp, 1842)
- Hemisus marmoratus - Marbled Shovelnose Frog (SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1863) - Hemisus microscaphus - Lake Zwei Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1972)
- Hemisus olivaceus - Olive Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1963)
- Hemisus perreti - Perret's Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1972)
- Hemisus wittei - Witte's Shovelnose Frog (Laurent, 1963)
- Hemisus barotseensis