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African dwarf frog

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Insects, Reptiles and
Fish

            iAfrican dwarf frogs
         Scientific classification

   Kingdom:    Animalia
   Phylum:     Chordata
   Class:      Amphibia
   Subclass:   Lissamphibia
   Superorder: Batrachia
   Order:      Anura
   Family:     Pipidae
   Genus:      Hymenochirus
               Boulenger, 1896

                                   Species

   See text.

   African dwarf frogs of genus Hymenochirus, also known as dwarf aquatic
   frogs (ADF or DAF for short), are frogs native to Sub Saharan Africa.
   They are members of Family Pipidae.

   They are entirely aquatic though they do break the water surface as
   they are air breathers. They are nearly blind at close range being
   far-sighted, but have keen sight 7 cm or further away. They rely on a
   sharp sense of smell and touch to find food. They are meat eaters and
   eat small insects, worms, fish meat and red mosquito larvae, also known
   as bloodworms (though this food should only be fed once a week in
   captivity). They are often sold in pet shops and can live in captivity
   for 10-20 years.

   They are cousins to the larger African clawed frog. When very young,
   African dwarf frogs can be confused with African clawed frogs, but may
   be distinguished by their heavily webbed toes. They are usually only an
   inch and a half in body length when fully grown; females are generally
   larger than the males.

   The male makes a quiet mating call when sexually active; females are
   typically silent. At 6 months old, males reach sexual maturity, and can
   be identified by a red section of skin behind each armpit that appears
   as a result of gland development.

Taxonomy

     * Zaire African Dwarf Clawed Frog, Hymenochirus boettgeri
     * Eastern African Dwarf Clawed Frog, Hymenochirus boulengeri
     * Western African Dwarf Clawed Frog, Hymenochirus curtipes
     * Hymenochirus feae

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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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