Breviceps adspersus Peters, 1882

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Breviceps adspersus Peters, 1882

Threats:

It occurs in a number of provincial nature reserves and national parks (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

Habitat:

The subspecies B. a. adspersus inhabits semi-arid habitats with sandy to sandy-loam soils. Its distribution closely matches that of the Savanna Biome, particularly the bushveld vegetation types that are characterized by “a grassy ground layer and a distinct upper layer of woody plants” (Low and Rebelo 1996). It is conspicuously absent from the Grassland and Forest biomes.

The subspecies B. a. pentheri occurs in Eastern Thorn Bushveld, Spekboom Succulent Thicket and Valley Thicket.

In Polokwane and Grahamstown, parks and gardens with well-turned, sandy soil contain breeding populations of B. a. adspersus and B. a. pentheri respectively, indicating that this species can survive in a suburban environment.

The dry season (in this case, winter) is spent 15–30 cm below the surface, often in situations where soil moisture is conserved, for example, next to or under rocks, logs, stumps or tree roots (Jacobsen 1989; text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

Reproduction:

In spring or early summer, following heavy rain, males emerge from the soil and establish call sites 5– 200 cm from their winter retreats. The call site usually consists of a well-concealed shallow depression, about the depth of the frog’s body, at the base of a grass tuft or small herbaceous plant. In overcast, damp conditions, calling may continue unchecked for several days and nights. Males are prompted to call by the calls of their immediate neighbours, and this results in bouts of calling which spread through the population in waves. When hot, dry weather returns, or when disturbed, males retreat to their underground burrows. Males were observed to use the same call site for up to five consecutive nights (Minter 1995, 1998; text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

Amplexus is facilitated by a sticky skin secretion which ensures that the male remains attached to the female during nest construction. A mass of about 45 eggs, covered by a smaller mass of fluid-filled jelly capsules lacking yolk, is deposited in a chamber about 30 cm below the surface. The female remains nearby until the froglets are ready to leave the nest (approximately six weeks). The reason for her presence has not been established (Minter 1995, 1998; text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

Wed, 2014-09-03 16:21 -- L.R. Minter
Breviceps adspersus Peters, 1882

Distribution:

B. adspersus occurs in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, southern Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Text modified from L.R. Minter in Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

Wed, 2014-09-03 16:05 -- Andres Avila
Breviceps adspersus Peters, 1882

Conservation status:

The species does not appear to be at risk since much of its habitat is used for game and cattle farming and is relatively undisturbed (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

Wed, 2014-09-03 15:28 -- Breda Zimkus

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Range Description:

This species ranges from northwestern Angola, through northern Namibia, southwestern Zambia, much of Botswana and Zimbabwe, to southern Mozambique, Swaziland, and South Africa as far south as Eastern Cape Province. It generally occurs below 1,400 m asl.

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Source	http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/57712

Distribution:

B. adspersus occurs in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, southern Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Text modified from L.R. Minter in Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Avila, Andres, Avila, Andres, African Amphibians Lifedesk
Source	http://africanamphibians.lifedesks.org/pages/25334

Description:

The background body color ranges from light to dark brown, and has rows of lighter yellowish or orange patches on either side of the vertebral column and on the sides. Sometimes dark speckles and spots are present, as are a narrow, light vertebral stripe and a light line extending from heal to heal. A broad black stripe runs from the eye to the armpit. The tympanum is not visible, the dorsal surface can be granular or smooth, and the ventral surface is smooth and usually unmarked. While all females have a mottled throat, males may have either a totally black or a mottled throat, which may be divided by a black stripe. Palmar tubercles are moderately to well developed and the basal suparticular tubercles are single. The inner and outer toes are not noticeably longer than they are wide.
Calls are short, blurred whistles, which are emitted in a continuous series of single calls, or in groups of 2, 3, or more calls.

Passmore, N. and Carruthers, V. (1995). South African Frogs, a Complete Guide. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Source	http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Breviceps&where-species=adspersus&account=amphibiaweb

Engelbrecht and Mulder (2000) used allozyme electrophoresis to assess the extent of genetic variation among four populations of Breviceps adspersus: the southern subspecies B. a. pentheri, and three populations of the more northern subspecies B. a. adspersus. Although they found greater genetic differentiation between the B. a. pentheri population and the B. a. adspersus populations than between the three B. a. adspersus populations alone, the implications of these results for the taxonomic status of these subspecies were inconclusive. The observed molecular distinctions between the one southern and three northern populations may support the current division of B. adspersus into two subspecies, but these data may also be due to a gradual geographic gradient in gene frequencies. Further molecular analysis of intermediate or transitional populations is necessary to differentiate between these two possibilities (Engelbrecht and Mulder 2000).

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Rights holder/Author	Luke Mahler, Lee Dietterich, Meicheng Shi, The Harvard University Herpetology Course - OEB 167
Source	http://www.edulifedesks.org/class/206/taxon-page/513

IUCN Red List Assessment:

Red List Category

Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2013

Assessor/s

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group

Reviewer/s

Stuart, S.N.

Contributor/s

Channing, A., Harrison, J., Poynton, J. & Minter, L.

Justification

Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats and its presumed large population.

History

2004

Least Concern (LC)

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Rights holder/Author	International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source	http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/57712

IUCN Red List Category and Justification of Conservation Status:

The species does not appear to be at risk since much of its habitat is used for game and cattle farming and is relatively undisturbed (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Zimkus, Breda, Avila, Andres, African Amphibians Lifedesk
Source	http://africanamphibians.lifedesks.org/pages/25334

Distribution and Habitat:

Passmore and Carruthers (1995) report that this frog is found in South Africa and Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia.
B. adspersus usually breeds in open and closed woodland with sandy soils. In South Africa, it is found along the hot, dry foothills of the northeastern escarpment, and is absent from the higher slopes and crests of the mountains. In the northern part of the its South African range, it usually occurs in dry bushveld.

Passmore, N. and Carruthers, V. (1995). South African Frogs, a Complete Guide. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Rights holder/Author	See http://www.amphibiaweb.org/datause.html.
Source	http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Breviceps&where-species=adspersus&account=amphibiaweb

The IUCN Red List (2004) categorizes this species as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category (Minter et al. 2004).

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Luke Mahler, Lee Dietterich, Meicheng Shi, The Harvard University Herpetology Course - OEB 167
Source	http://www.edulifedesks.org/class/206/taxon-page/513

Breviceps adspersus is found in southern and eastern Africa. It is widespread, but occurs primarily in hot and dry areas, such as the Kalahari sand dunes and the dry savanna of southern Africa. Its geographic range extends from northwestern Angola through northern Namibia, southwestern Zambia, much of Botswana and Zimbabwe, and southern Mozambique south through Swaziland and into South Africa, reaching the Eastern Cape Province (Channing 2001, Minter et al. 2004). Most of this range is occupied by the nominate subspecies B. adspersus adspersus, but populations in the moister escarpment regions of South Africa, from the southeastern Cape to Mpumalanga, belong to the subspecies B. adspersus pentheri (Minter et al. 2004).

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Luke Mahler, Lee Dietterich, Meicheng Shi, The Harvard University Herpetology Course - OEB 167
Source	http://www.edulifedesks.org/class/206/taxon-page/513

Population:

Population

It is a very common species.

Population Trend

Unknown

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/57712

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Breviceps adspersus Peters, 1882

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