Argus Reed Frogs??

[Kurt]

This is an excerpt from Alan Channing's "Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa"

Argus reed frog
Hyperolius argus (Peters, 1854)

This species is named for Argus the guardian of Io, the mythical being whose 100 eyes were given to the peacock.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: This lowland species is recorded from Mozambique and the tropical northeast coastal plain of South Africa. It is found associated with temporary and permanent pools where water lilies are growing.

ADVERTISEMENT CALL: The male calls from vegetation growing in water, frequently on water lily leaves. The call is a rapidly repeated cluck, each call being only about 0.02s long, with dominant harmonics between 3 and 4kHz.

BREEDING: Breeding occurs around the edges and in the middle of shallow pans. These temporary pools formed in the flat depressions are a favorite habitat for this species. It breeds from spring to summer after the rains have started. The eggs are 1 mm in diameter, within 4 mm capsules. Clutch size is about 200 eggs, laid in clusters of 30, each cluster being attached to vegetation hanging in water and up to 50 mm below the surface.

TADPOLES: The tadpole reaches 48 mm in length. It is light brown with a pale underside and mottled fins. The most posterior row of labial teeth is short. The papillae are in a double row below the oral disc, with a narrow gap in the middle. The keratinized jaw sheaths are heavy. The tadpoles are known from pools with dense vegetation.

[Buck Rogers]

I have never kept this species personally but I can give some info that I know about this species. These are commonly found in the Western Cape (Cape Town) in South Africa, the Cape has a Winter rainfall pattern (May - August) where this species becomes active. They are often found in Arum Lilly flowers hiding out there during the day. Breeding of this species should be the same/similar to that of the painted reed frog or any of the other Hyperolius species. Males will call for females from plants (reeds) around water pans and the eggs would be laid on plants around the water pan. I don't have my field guide on me at the moment, but I can check when I get home tonight to get specifics on the mating.

I never knew that about "named for Argus the guardian of Io" we have a marathon called the Cape Argus and a newspaper called the Argus and I always thought it just came from that.

[Kurt]

I had no idea where the came from till I read that in my field guide. I am assuming Cape Argus name has the same origin and the paper after the cape.

[SludgeMunkey]

They are interesting little critters for sure!

[Kurt]

So true. Tonight when I was at Zoo Creatures/NERD there was this tiny little reed frog just singing its heart out. It wasn't phased at all that I was watching.

[Buck Rogers]

Guys I must appologise I made a mistake here, I was thinking of the Arum Lily Frog which is from the Cape, the Argus is found more in coastal bush from Northen Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mozambique. They lay their eggs in water pans on plants and the tadpoles are usually 45mm long. The males and females have recognisable differences.

Kurt - You right about the red frogs, they love making a noise, it sounds wonderful when its one but when there's a whole group going at it, its deafening! I found a tinker reed frog last season (tiny guy) and I sat next to him for less than a minute and there was a ringing in my ear for the next few minutes. For their size these little guys are LOUD!!!!

[Kurt]

I was just amazed how bold he was. It was dimly lit in the cage so I really couldn't tell what species he was. He was in a cage labeled asst reed frogs.