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Amphibians
Breviceps gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
EOL Text
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
- Terrestrial
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3069 |
De Villiers (1988b) found that most localities where B. gibbosus occurs have fine grained, heavy substrates (loamy soils and clays) derived from shales or granites. B. gibbosus also occurs in disturbed and altered habitats, such as pine plantations and suburban gardens (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
Channing (2001) reports that B. gibbosus survives the long, dry summers by aestivation underground. Individuals produce a thin cocoon around themselves, with nostrils plugged and body inflated (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
B. gibbosus has a distinctive call, being more guttural (lower pitched and distinctly pulsed) than any other rain frog (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
Calling commences with the first winter rains (late April) and continues through to November. Calling occurs day and night in wet weather. Calling peaks at the beginning of winter and in spring, from late August to October, suggesting that warmer temperatures stimulate calling. Although calling usually occurs during and after rain showers, it sometimes precedes the rain by a few hours suggesting that this species may be able to detect the drop in barometric pressure that occurs in advance of a frontal weather system. Poynton and Pritchard (1976) noted a similar apparent connection between barometric pressure and surface activity in B. adspersus and B. verrucosus. Male B. gibbosus call from the surface, that is, they have never been observed calling from elevated perches as in some other Breviceps species. Calling males are usually well hidden under vegetation, in shallow depressions in the substrate (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
As in other Breviceps species, adhesive amplexus is employed when mating (Wager, 1965). In dense choruses, males will attempt to clasp any moving object in the vicinity, including other males (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
Red List Criteria
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
Justification
History
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2004Vulnerable (VU)
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1996Vulnerable (VU)
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1994Vulnerable (V)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3069 |
B. gibbosus was previously listed as Vulnerable (McLachlan 1978; Branch 1988) and Near Threatened (Harrison et al. 2001) based on a restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, an inferred drastic reduction and fragmentation of its range by urban and agricultural development (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
Population
Population Trend
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3069 |
Major Threats
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3069 |
Conservation Actions
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3069 |