|
|---|
Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$Photo1 in /var/www/vhosts/virtualzoo/classifications/display.php on line 584
| Subspecies: | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Est. World Population: | |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Least Concern |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
| Tail Length: | |
| Shoulder Height: | |
| Weight: | |
| Top Speed: | |
| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
| Litter Size: | |
| Gestation Period: | |
Habitat:
It is a water-dependent species, using both temporary and permanent ponds, and also streams and rivers in the dry season. In West Africa it occurs mainly in the dry savannah and northern humid savannah zones, preferring drier condition to Xenopus laevis. It is found in agricultural and other altered habitats. It seldom occurs in forests. It also prefers hotter conditions compared with X. laevis, and uses muddier waters. It breeds in still water pools.
Range:
This species was previously thought to occur in three separate populations: 1. from eastern Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso eastward across Sudan-Guinea zone to northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan westwards to Dahomey, 2. the Mozambique plain and its fringes northwards from Lake St Lucia in Zululand, Malawi and Zambia lowlands, Okavango area, Tanganyika, Zanzibar and 3. Kenya; from the Kenyan coast, south to northeastern South Africa, Swaziland, northern Botswana, northeastern Namibia, and southeastern Angola; and from the Ennedi in northeastern Chad (Poynton 1964).
However, following genetic and morphological analysis, it is now known from Kenya and south to northeastern South Africa, Swaziland, northern Botswana, northeastern Namibia, and southeastern Angola; and from the Ennedi in northeastern Chad (Evans et al. 2015). The two other parts of the range are now assigned to X. fischbergi (Evans et al. 2015). It also has been confirmed to occur in Rwanda (from specimens examined in the 1990s – R. Tinsley pers. comm. November 2016). It seems likely that many records from the inland parts of Tanzania currently assigned to this species should in fact be referred to Xenopus borealis, and the distribution maps probably records this species as occurring much too widely in this country. The northern limits of its distribution are undetermined until further specimens can be genetically examined (R. Tinsley pers. comm. November 2016). It is mainly a lowland species, but probably occurs up to at least 2,000 m Asl.
However, following genetic and morphological analysis, it is now known from Kenya and south to northeastern South Africa, Swaziland, northern Botswana, northeastern Namibia, and southeastern Angola; and from the Ennedi in northeastern Chad (Evans et al. 2015). The two other parts of the range are now assigned to X. fischbergi (Evans et al. 2015). It also has been confirmed to occur in Rwanda (from specimens examined in the 1990s – R. Tinsley pers. comm. November 2016). It seems likely that many records from the inland parts of Tanzania currently assigned to this species should in fact be referred to Xenopus borealis, and the distribution maps probably records this species as occurring much too widely in this country. The northern limits of its distribution are undetermined until further specimens can be genetically examined (R. Tinsley pers. comm. November 2016). It is mainly a lowland species, but probably occurs up to at least 2,000 m Asl.
Conservation:
This species' range includes many protected areas.