58 



BREEDING HABITS OF AMPHIBIA 



Bufo amerlcaiiiis pair e\hiDiting 

 the back-arch release mechanism. 



Oviposition of Bufo americaiius. 



(From Aronaon I9UI+: Am. Mua. Nov. #1250. Artist Miss P. Hutchinson) 



XENOPUS LAEVIS. the South African clawed toad. This form has been classified as a toad 

 and as a frog, Its skin texture heing more that of the frogs and its breeding habits more 

 like the toad. It is found in Africa, from the Cape to Abyssinia, and measures about k 

 Inches maximum In the adult stage. 



It is purely an aquatic form, with clawed toes, no distinct tympanic membrane, tongue- 

 less, single posterior median opening for the Eustachian tubes, dilated sacral vertebrae, 

 carnivorous, and has Sllurold appearing larvae. It Is sluggish, never leaving the water 

 and remaining submerged most of the time. Its greatest activity is seizing food, which it 

 does rapidly. It Is negative to light. It should be fed on alternate days strips of beef, 

 beef heart, liver, earthworms, Tubifex, small newts, tadpoles, Daphnia. 



It reaches sexual maturity in 2 years. Inguino-amplexus usually in July, thousands of 

 eggs being extruded but often not all fertilized. Egg measure 1.5 mm., with Jelly It is 

 5.0 mm. Embryos hatch out in 37 hours and Siluroid type transparent tadpoles appear on 

 third day. The tadpoles feed on Chlanj^domonas . Developmental temperature must be at 

 least 22°C. 



