Xenopus

Smooth clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)

The genus clawed frogs (Xenopus ) belongs to the family of tongueless frogs ( Pipidae ) within the order of Anura ( Anura ). The 18 species have - in contrast to the African dwarf frogs - no webbing between the front fingers. The best known species of this genus is the Smooth clawed frog.

Way of life

Clawed frogs have neither a tongue nor teeth; food intake is done by sucking the prey, which they also take their arms to help. For food spectrum include insects, worms, small fish and other amphibians. For protection from predators, such as snakes, otters or cormorants, but the frogs toxins through the skin. The pairing can take place throughout the year.

Taxonomy

  • Type Xenopus amieti ( Kobel, du Pasquier, Fischberg & Gloor, 1980) - Amiets clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus andrei ( Loumont, 1983) - Andreis clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus borealis (Parker, 1936) - Gelbgefleckter clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus boumbaensis ( Loumont, 1983) - Kamerin clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus clivii ( Peracca, 1898) - Ethiopian clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus fraseri ( Boulenger, 1905) - Fraser shear clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus gilli ( Rose & Hewitt, 1927) - Cape Clawed
  • Type Xenopus itombwensis Evans, Carter, Tobias, Kelley, Hanner & Tinsley, 2008
  • Type Xenopus laevis ( Daudin, 1802) - Smooth clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus largeni ( Tinsley, 1995)
  • Type Xenopus longipes ( Loumont & Kobel, 1991) - Langfüßiger clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus muelleri (Peters, 1844) - miller clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus petersii ( Bocage, 1895)
  • Type Xenopus ruwenzoriensis ( Tymowska & Fish Mount, 1973) - Ruwenzoriberg - Clawed
  • Xenopus tropicalis species (Gray, 1864)
  • Type Xenopus vestitus ( Laurent, 1972) - short-legged clawed frog
  • Type Xenopus victorianus Ahl, 1924
  • Type Xenopus wittei ( Tinsley, Kobel & Fish Mount, 1979) - Witte clawed frog

Etymology

The name has received the genus by the appearance of the feet of their species, because the word Xenopus is composed of the Greek word xenos ( = the stranger ) and the Greek word pous ( = foot). The meaning " strange foot " indicates that frogs have only the three inner toes of the five claws.

Johann Georg Wagler
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