The Wildebeest's guide to South Africa
Giant Bullfrog
Afrikaans name: Grootbrulpadda
Giant Bullfrog
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Pyxicephalus adspersus
The Giant Bullfrog lives up to its name as it can grow to a length of 20 cm.
These bullfrogs have olive green upperparts with ridges of skin. Youngsters are mottled green and black in colour.
The Giant Bullfrog remains buried for a large part of the year. It breeds in temporary puddles and shallow pans during the rainy season. The males defend the nest and tadpoles and can be quite aggressive, even to animals that are a lot bigger than them. They also dig canals in the mud to alter the flow of water around the eggs and tadpoles.
Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com
Their eyes are horizontally eliptical in bright light.
References and further reading
The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 86Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 256
The Living Deserts of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Darry Lovegrove - Published: 2021 - Page: 181
Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 252
The Living Deserts of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Darry Lovegrove - Published: 2021 - Page: 168
Reptiles & Amphibians of Southern Africa - Author: Warren Schmidt - Published: 2006 - Page: 115
Sasol First Field Guide to Frogs of Southern Africa - Author: Vincent Carruthers - Published: 2012 - Page: 44
Freshwater Life - Author: C. Griffiths, J. Day & M. Picker - Published: 2015 - Page: 68
Frogs & Frogging in South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Vincent Carruthers - Published: 2001 - Page: 70
Frogs & Frogging in South Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Vincent Carruthers and Louis du Preez - Published: 2011 - Page: 74
Field Guide to the Frogs & Toads of the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site - Author: Conradie, Du Preez, Smith and Weldon - Published: 2006 - Page: 42
A Field Guide to the Eastern Cape Coast - Author: R. Lubke, F. Gess & M. Bruton - Published: 1988 - Page: 253