Chiromantis xerampelina
Foam Nest Frogs are excellently adapted to an arboreal lifestyle, living near seasonal and permanent water in the savanna biome and often seen inside houses and other buildings in these parts. At 9cm in length, adult females are slightly larger than males.
During spring and summer Foam Nest Frogs congregate around pools of standing water to mate. The female secretes a fluid from her oviducts and then, using their hind legs in a process that may take several hours, she and the attending males churn it into a thick white foam ball that attaches to a branch or other structure hanging over the water and in which up to 1,200 eggs, fertilised by several of the present males, are then laid. At times the mating frogs congregate in large groups creating enormous, collaborative foam nests. Inside the foam balls, now with a hardened outer edge and looking very meringue-like, the eggs and newly hatched tadpoles are kept moist and safe from smaller predators. When they are a few days old the tadpoles drop from the foam ball into the water to find food and complete their metamorphosis.
In South Africa, Foam Nest Frogs are commonly encountered in the north of Kwazulu-Natal, the lowveld of Mpumalanga and widely through the bushveld regions of Limpopo. They are also distributed widely over much of the rest of southern, central and eastern Africa. The IUCN considers it to be of least concern.
Always amazing
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Something to appreciate in all forms of life!
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The natural world supply of wonder never ceases.
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I have marvelled at the nests before, especially those built over dry land accurately predicting imminent rising waters for the tadpoles to fall into, in time. But I have not seen the actual frogs until seeing your photos – the frog is such a cutey!
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They’re often to be found inside birdhides next to waterholes, but they are usually much better camouflaged than this guy who was trying to blend in with a bar-fridge… 😀
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☺ Thanks. I will look out for them in birdhides next time I am in such places. Oh yes and also when getting a beer ☺
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😀
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Amazing. That last shot on the bottom right makes it look like a happy snake. 🙂
janet
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Wish I could walk around all day with a satisfied smile like that!
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Ek hoop die Franse lees nie die pos nie!! 😉
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Hulle kan kyk, hulle moet net nie vat nie!
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Nice, I really like that lower right gallery image.
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Thanks P J B – he does look pretty self-satisfied in that shot, doesn’t he!?
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Yup 🙂
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I don’t quite understand. Do they make the foam ball while at water level and then somehow convey it higher, or do they manage this feat while up on the branch already?
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The female selects her branch and then they build the foam nest there. Amazing!
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Thanks for the info.. I agree, its amazing!
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Interesting little critters with an unusual life strategy.
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Incredible, isn’t it!?
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very handsome.
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Not quite the fairytale prince though… 😀
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Wonders never cease!
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What a boring life it would be if it did!
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Well….this has to be one of the stranger creations of life I have ever read. Pretty little frog, though. You do have the most interesting creatures.
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Glad we could introduce you to another of our very special South Africans, Lois!
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