| dc.description.abstract | The frog genus Hyperolius is the largest of 19 genera in the Hyperoliidae (Channing, 1939). The members of the genus display considerable morphological homogeneity with a diversity of dorsal colour patterns. The genus is endemic to Africa and is distributed throughout the wetlands south of the Sahara excluding the western plateau slopes and South African plateau. They are found in close proximity to water, on reeds, sedges and also on water-lily leaves (Iambiris, 1989). The South African forms are commonly referred to as reedfrogs (Passmore and Camrthers, 1979). The members of the genus bury themselves in the ground and under leaves during the dry season and emerge after the first rains (Iambiris, 1989). The eggs are laid in water, attached to waterplants, but certain species deposit eggs above the water level or between water-lily leaves (Lambiris, 1989). Characters that disqinguish the genus from other African genera are as follows: The pupil is horizontal to round; Vomerine teeth are absent; The fingers and toes are webbed; The oral disc is ventrally situated (Passmore and Camrthers, 1979). | en_US |
