AmphibiaWeb - Hemisotidae
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  Hemisotidae (see family information on Tree of Life site)

9 species in 1 genus

Shovel-nosed Frogs

The family Hemisotidae is made up of shovel-nosed, globose-bodied frogs within a single genus, Hemisus. Their hard pointed snouts, strong forelimbs and hindlimbs, and loss of a sternum (convergent in Rhinophrynus) allow these frogs to be quick and efficient headfirst burrowers in tropical savanna of sub-Saharan Africa. They lay eggs underground in the plains near the end of the dry season. Nests are flooded and tadpoles then swim to temporary pools of water to finish their development. Tadpoles also wriggle onto the parent’s backs to be transported to water.


Hemisus marmoratus
Photo by Robert C. Drewes
(Click for details)

Genus Hemisus (9 species)
Hemisus barotseensis no English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video
Hemisus brachydactylus no English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video
Hemisus guineensis no English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video
Hemisus guttatus English account no non-English accountphotos no sound/video
Hemisus marmoratus English account no non-English accountphotos sound/video
Hemisus microscaphus no English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video
Hemisus olivaceus English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video
Hemisus perreti no English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video
Hemisus wittei no English account no non-English accountno photos no sound/video


Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. 2012. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: http://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed: 2012).

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