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Home/Species/ African Clawed Frog

Xenopus laevis

(Daudin, 1802)

African Clawed Frog

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102083
Element CodeAAABG01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyPipidae
GenusXenopus
Other Common Names
Common Platanna (EN)
Concept Reference
Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Conservation Status
Review Date2003-11-13
Change Date1996-10-18
Edition Date2003-11-13
Range Extent Comments
Native to Africa. First brought to the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s for laboratory use and later as an aquarium pet. Introduced and established locally in California (San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, and Imperial counties) and Arizona (Tucson area) (Stebbins 1985, Lafferty ad Page 1997). Apparently established in Baja California (see Mahrdt et al. 2003). Recorded but not established in Colorado.
Threat Impact Comments
May have declined recently in southern California, due possibly to drought and fish predation (McCoid et al. 1993).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In the U.S., found in slow streams, irrigation canals, ponds, and lakes. Eggs are attached to aquatic plants or other submerged vegatation, logs, or rocks.

Reproduction

May during all but the coolest periods of the year in southern California (McCoid and Fritts 1989). Female lays several hundred eggs; eggs laid singly or in small clusters (Behler and King 1979).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLAND
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNA
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNANo
ArizonaSNANo
Roadless Areas (4)
California (4)
AreaForestAcres
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
References (41)
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