Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group
Contributors: Alan Channing James Harrison John Poynton Kim Howell Leslie Minter
Facilitators: Evie Morris
Reviewers: Simon Stuart

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Listed as Least Concern because, although it is losing breeding habitat in places due to urbanization, and it is also eaten in parts of its range, it has a wide distribution, is tolerant of a broad range of habitats and has a presumed large population.

Distribution

This species occurs widely in South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, extending north to southern Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Kenya. It distribution needs re-examination in light of recent separation of Pyxicephalus edulus from P. adspersus. Many specimens have not been clearly assigned between these two species. It is presumed to occur in southern Democratic Republic of Congo, but there have not been any confirmed records from this country.

Population trend

Trend

It is common in many of the southern parts of its range, it has apparently declined in South Africa, especially in Gauteng Province, but it is still locally common in some places. Boycott (2001) declared the species to be extinct in Swaziland. It seems to be very uncommon in the northern parts of its range, with very few confirmed records from Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya (though this might in part be due to identification problems).

Threats

The major threat through most of its range is harvesting of frogs for local consumption, which is believed to be responsible for some population declines. In South Africa, breeding habitat has been lost due to urbanization. This species is sometimes found in the international pet trade but at levels that do not currently constitute a major threat.

Uses and trade

It is sometimes found in the international pet trade and is harvested for local consumption.

Conservation

It occurs in many protected areas.

References 

[@book{596,
 address = {Ithaca and London},
 author = {Channing, A.},
 publisher = {Cornell University Press},
 title = {Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa},
 year = {2001}
}
,@book{596,
 address = {Frankfurt am Main},
 author = {Pickersgill, M.},
 publisher = {Edition Chimaira},
 title = {Frog Search. Results of Expeditions to Southern and Eastern Africa.},
 year = {2007}
}
,@book{596,
 address = {Washington, D.C.},
 author = {Minter, L.R., Burger, M., Harrison, J.A., Braack, H.H., Bishop, P.J. and Knoepfer, D.},
 publisher = {SI/MAB Series No. 9},
 title = {Atlas and Red Data Book of the Frogs of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2004}
}
,@book{596,
 address = {Johannesburg},
 author = {Passmore, N.I. and Carruthers, V.C.},
 publisher = {Southern Book Publishers and Witwatersrand University Press},
 title = {South African Frogs, 2nd Edition},
 year = {1995}
}
,@electronic{596,
 address = {http://www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2013.2)},
 year = {2013}
}
,@electronic{596,
 address = {http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html},
 author = {Frost, D.R.},
 publisher = {American Museum of Natural History},
 title = {Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.6 (9 January 2013). Electronic Database},
 year = {2013}
}
,@book{1301,
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 title = {Frogs of South Africa, 2nd edition},
 year = {1986}
}
,@article{3070,
 author = {Channing, A. and Griffin, M.},
 journal = {Madoqua},
 pages = {101--116},
 title = {An annotated checklist of the frogs of Namibia},
 volume = {18},
 year = {1993}
}
,@article{11700,
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}
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 journal = {Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Torino, Monografia},
 pages = {1--247},
 title = {The frogs of Zimbabwe},
 volume = {10},
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}
,@book{54649,
 address = {Frankfurt am Main},
 author = {Channing, A. and Howell, K.M.},
 publisher = {Edition Chimaira},
 title = {Amphibians of East Africa},
 year = {2006}
}
,@article{54659,
 author = {Poynton, J.C. and Haacke, W.D.},
 journal = {Annals of the Transvaal Museum},
 pages = {9--16},
 title = {On a collection of amphibians from Angola, including a new species of <i>Bufo</i> Laurenti},
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}
,@article{54659,
 author = {Ruas, C.},
 journal = {Garcia de Orta. Ser. Zool. (Lisboa)},
 pages = {19--41},
 title = {Contribuicao para o conhecimento da fauna de batraquios de Angola},
 volume = {21},
 year = {1996}
}
,@article{58066,
 author = {Poynton, J.C. and Broadley, D.G.},
 journal = {Annals of the Natal Museum},
 pages = {115--181},
 title = {Amphibia Zambesiaca. 2. Ranidae},
 volume = {27},
 year = {1985}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Channing, A., Passmore, N.I. and du Preez, L.},
 journal = {Journal of Zoology},
 number = {234},
 pages = {141--148},
 title = {Status, vocalizations and breeding of two species of African bullfrogs},
 year = {1994}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Parry, C.R.},
 journal = {Annals of the Natal Museum},
 number = {25},
 pages = {281--292},
 title = {A revision of southern African Pyxicephalus Tschudi (Anura: Ranidae)},
 year = {1982}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Parry, C.R. and Cavill, R.},
 journal = {Trans. Rhod. Sci. Assoc.},
 number = {58(9)},
 pages = {55--58},
 title = {A note on cocoon formation and structure in Pyxicephalus adspersus Tschudi (Anura: Ranidae)},
 year = {1978}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Boycott, R.C.},
 journal = {Durban Museum Novitates},
 number = {26},
 pages = {25--37},
 title = {The terrapins and tortoises of Swaziland},
 year = {2001}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Loveridge, J.P.},
 journal = {S. Afr. J. Sci.},
 number = {75},
 pages = {18--20},
 title = {Cocoon formation in two species of southern African frogs},
 year = {1979}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Paukstis, G.L. and Reinbold, S.L.},
 journal = {British Herpetological Society Bulletin},
 number = {10},
 pages = {52--53},
 title = {Observations of snake-feeding by captive African bullfrogs (Pyxicephalus adspersus)},
 year = {1984}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Van Wyk, J.C.P., Kok, D.J. and du Preez, L.H.},
 journal = {Abstracts Herpetol. Assoc. Afr. Symp.},
 number = {2},
 pages = {17--18},
 title = {Growth and behaviour of Pyxicephalus adspersus tadpoles},
 year = {1991}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Balinsky, B.I. and Balinsky, J.B.},
 journal = {S. Afr. J. Sci.},
 number = {51},
 pages = {55--58},
 title = {On the breeding habits of the South African bullfrog, Pyxicephalus adspersus},
 year = {1954}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Grobler, J.H.},
 journal = {Arnoldia Rhod. Misc. Publ.},
 number = {6},
 pages = {1--4},
 title = {Observations on the amphibian Pyxicephalus adspersus Tschudi in Rhodesia},
 year = {1972}
}
,@article{58535,
 author = {Kok, D., du Preez, L.H. and Channing, A.},
 journal = {Journal of Herpetology},
 number = {23},
 pages = {435--437},
 title = {Channel construction by the African bullfrog: another anuran parental are strategy},
 year = {1989}
}
,@book{58535,
 author = {Cook, C.},
 publisher = {Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Pretoria},
 title = {Aspects of the breeding biology and ecology of the Giant Bullfrog, <i>Pyxicephalus adspersus</i>},
 year = {1996}
}
,]
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