Frogs and Frogging in Southern Africa

Author: Vincent Carruthers
Struik Publishers
Cape Town, 2001
Soft cover, 15x21 cm, 100 pages, over hundered colour photos, 1 Audio-CD

Description:

Garden ponds, vleis, forests and deserts - frogs are found in practically every environmental niche. Frogs and Frogging in Southern Africa examines how these remarkable creatures behave and how they have adapted to survive in different habitats.

The field guide section of the book describes all 129 frog species that occur in the region and includes clear, colourful photographs, keys and maps to aid identification.

Other sections explain the evolulion of frogs, how to find, photograph and record them, myths and medicinal uses, and a wealth of other fascinating detail.

All night frogs are more often heard than seen and their calls are a reliable way of identifying species. The inclusion of a CD featuring 56 frog calls is a unique and valuable addition to the publication.

Introduction to Frogging:

Frogging is not just about frogs. It is about exploring wetlands, listening to the sounds of an African night, observing and conserving the natural world. Frogging can be science or it can be recreation. To some it means researching for a Ph. D., to others it means exciting discoveries on a summer holiday. Many may simply go frogging through the pages of this book.

The first part of the book introduces frogs and aspects of their biology, and then discusses habitats and the ways in which they influence frog behaviour. Chapters are arranged according to five basic southern African biomes (major ecological communities characterized by a dominant vegetation) - savanna, grassland, forest, fynbos and desert. Each chapter is then sub-divided into the main frog habitats found within that biome.

Frogs that commonly breed in each habitat are listed, and examples of interesting adaptations and behaviour are discussed. Many frogs are found in more than one habitat and therefore appear on several lists. It is hoped that this will assist froggers in knowing where to look and what to expect.

The second part of this book describes and illustrates southern Africa's nearly 130 frog species, to facilitate identification in the field.

Picture above:

Russet-backed Sand Frog

Tomopterna marmorata

Mottled russet with a large pale patch between the shoulders and no stripes down the spine or flanks. The skin is leathery few wart-like elevations. The glandular ridge behind the jaw is inconspicuous.

Limbs: The tubercles on the hand are round and uniform.

Habitat: Sandbanks and rocks along quiet reaches of savanna rivers and streams. Calls from exposed positions on the banks.

Call: Clear, piping notes repeated at a rate of about five per second, usually in choruses. Hear CD!