TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae

Genus/species: Heterixalus alboguttatus

Starry Night Reed Frog IMG_7439

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:  Back or dark grey, with orange spots in the shade and whitish with yellow spots (bordered with black) in the sun. Thighs, ventral surface of limbs, and hands and feet are orange.  Length females to 33 mm (1.3 inches).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT:  Southeastern lowlands of Madagascar from sea level up to at least 800m (2600 feet).  It is a species of open areas, including savannahs, degraded habitats, agricultural areas, grasslands, and rice fields. They inhabit riparian zones, where a body of water (mainly a pond) meets the land. Among emergent vegetation, reed frogs spend the day sleeping on the underside of leaves.

DIET IN THE WILD: Insects.

Heterixalus alboguttatus14224581291_df17a8b4da_o

REPRODUCTION: H. alboguttatus breeds in a wide variety of temporary and permanent water bodies, including rice fields. They are very easy to breed in captivity.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern (LC)
Has a wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats and presumed large population. Starry night reed frogs have been imported directly from Madagascar several times over the past decade. These imports are the foundation of the captive population of H. alboguttatus in the United States today.

Madagascar MA12

References

IUCN Red List  www.iucnredlist.org/details/56096/0

Amphibiaweb  amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Heterixalus&…

Josh’s Frogs  www.joshsfrogs.com/starry-night-reed-frog-sexed-trio.html

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/14224581291/in/album-72157620708610230/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-119