Breviceps gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758)  

B. gibbosus is endemic to South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program)

The only species with which B. gibbosus sometimes shares habitat is the much smaller B. montanus, which has a higher pitched, whistle-like call. The calls of B. fuscus and B. acutirostris are somewhat similar to those of B. gibbosus but these species are not sympatric with gibbosus (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program)

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).

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).