Red Banded Rubber Frog Yellow Variation

[Quiver]

Hi All,

I live in Gaborone, Botswana and the other night I heard a red banded rubber frog and went to look for it. I found it next to the pool.

It looked like a red banded rubber frog and sounded like one except that all the red parts were actually yellow.

I took a photo but it did not come out properly. I will have to wait till it rains again and hopefully I can find it once again.

What I want to know is have any of you ever come across a red banded rubber frog but a yellow variation?

If you have please let me know.

[tgampper]

Hi and welcome to Frog Forum!

I have seen a picture of a yellow variation of the red-banded rubber frog. I understand that the stripes can vary in color: red, orange, yellow, or white. The particular picture that I have is of a frog from Swaziland and has yellow stripes. The source is from a book called, "South African Frogs" by Passmore and Carruthers , page 108.

[Kurt]

Very curious to see this frog as I have never seen one of this variation. I have two in my collection, one has definite red stripes, the other the stripes are more pinkish, but definitely not yellow.

[Quiver]

@Terry Thanks for the information and I will be sure to have a look at the book as well.

@Kurt I will most definitely try and get a nice picture of it if I see it again and post it here for you to have a look at.

[tgampper]

I didn't realize that the stripes were of different colors either. All I have seen were red. Here are some notes:

From Passmore and Carruthers (South African Frogs): "The pattern is fairly consistant although some variation is found in the degree of ventro-lateral mottling and the dorso-lateral stripes are sometimes broken. Lighting conditions and attitude bring about considerable colour changes. The black ground colour can take on a gold sheen and dorsal markings change from deep crimson to almost white."

Does this mean that they can change color based on their "mood" and environmental conditions or are they referring to populations that display different colors?

From du Preez and Carruthers (A Complete Guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa): "...bands and spots varying from deep crimson to almost white."

From Channing and Howell (Amphibians of East Africa): "The back has an orange or red patch above the vent, and two broad bands of the same color..."

From Channing (Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa): see Channing and Howell.

Hope this helps and I would love to see pictures of the yellow variation. I really like these frogs and considering getting one for my collection.

Here is a picture I scanned from du Preeze and Carruthers. This frog is also from Swaziland. I wonder if the yellow variation is more common in northeastern South Africa and southeastern Botswana and Mozambique (just a guess).