Mascarene Grass FrogPtychadena mascareniensis (Crapaud Bang)
Category
- Wetlands
Description
The Mascarene grass frog is thought to have been introduced from Madagascar to Mauritius in 1872, is found in the Mascarene islands except for Rodrigues and throughout Africa[1]. Individuals have a pointed snout and two pairs of continuous dorsal ridges. P. mascareniensis is mostly brown in colour with some green, accented with black markings and a distinct, lighter coloured broad vertebral band down its back.[2]
[1] La Vanille Nature Park. 2018. Mascarene grass frog or mascarene ridged frog. Accessed April 2018. http://lavanille-naturepark.com/index.php/en/frogs-88.
[2] AmphibiaWeb. 2018. http://amphibiaweb.org.University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 15 Aug 2018
Habitat and ecology
The frog can be found in wetland areas of Mauritius and is known to live in agricultural fields, secondary vegetation and marshy areas as well as rainforest, dry forests, savannas and grasslands in other parts of its range. It is believed to have a preference for moist grassy areas near wetlands or watercourses. P. mascareniensis preys on insects and is active both day and night. Similar to other frogs and toads, males call loudly to attract females. Mating is followed by the depositing of large bubbly egg masses in ponds, puddles or wetlands.
Conservation and threats
The species does not face any significant threats, except in isolated or localized situations. It is considered a species of ‘Least Concern’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [1]
[1] IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2016. Ptychadena mascareniensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T76317565A79825430. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T76317565A79825430.en. Downloaded on 18 April 2018.
Did you know?
Frogs swallow using their eyes; their eyes retract in its head and help push the food down their throat.[1]
[1] Earth Rangers Foundation. 2018. "Top Ten Awesome Facts About Frogs." Earth Rangers. Accessed April 2018. https://www.earthrangers.com/wildwire/top-10/top-ten-awesome-facts-about-frogs/.
