View the above photo record (by Timo Paasikunnas) in FrogMAP here.
Find the Striped Grass Frog in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.
Family Ptychadenidae
STRIPED GRASS FROG – Ptychadena porosissima
(Steindachner, 1867)
Habitat
P. porosissima has adapted to a wider range of habitats than the other Ptychadena species in the atlas region: from the sub-tropical coastal environment of KwaZulu-Natal, to temperate grassland along the crest of the great escarpment and the highveld and, occasionally, wooded grassland (Passmore 1978; Jacobsen 1989). It is also widely distributed at high elevations in Malawi and other parts of Africa (Stewart 1967).
In the atlas region, this species inhabits a variety of vegetation types in the Grassland Biome (Jacobsen 1989). In these habitats the altitude ranges from sea level to 2300 m.
The breeding habitat includes vleis, inundated grassland and sedge pans.
Behaviour
Adults have been recorded throughout the year in moist depressions and seepage areas, and occasionally along streams, but may move as far as 500 m from water (Stewart 1967; Jacobsen 1989). They probably survive dry conditions in the same way as other Ptychadena species, for example, by retreating into deep mud-cracks, although no specific instances are recorded in the literature.
Males usually call from concealed positions amongst emergent vegetation within the water, supporting themselves on emergent plants, with the hind third of their bodies submerged (Passmore 1978). Calling peaks between 23:00 and 02:30, at which time temperatures are usually substantially lower; this may represent a pre-adaptation that has allowed this species to invade temperate habitats (Passmore 1978).
Less intense calling continues throughout sporadic dry periods in summer, that is, calling is not dependent on rain, perhaps due to an association with relatively permanent bodies of water (Passmore 1978). In wet weather, choruses may develop during the day (Stewart 1967).
Eggs are laid in shallow water with silty or sandy substrates, and float at the surface (Lambiris 1989a; Channing 2001).
Adults feed opportunistically on terrestrial arthropods (Inger and Marx 1961), as well as earthworms, snails and other frogs (Channing 2001).
Status and Conservation
Although P. porosissima is widespread and occurs in a few protected areas, its distribution is patchy and its conservation status is uncertain. Surveys of populations in conservation areas are needed (Jacobsen 1989).
Distribution
P. porosissima is distributed from Ethiopia, southern Zaire and Angola, southward throughout East Africa to Zambia, Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique (Stewart 1967; Poynton and Broadley 1985b; Channing 2001). In the atlas region it is recorded from a few scattered localities in Limpopo and Gauteng provinces, but is more widely distributed in Mpumalanga, western Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal, and the northeastern part of Eastern Cape Province, almost reaching East London in the south (3227DD).
Poynton (1964) suggested that P. poyntoni Guibé 1960 from Inhluzane, KwaZulu-Natal, was based on a hybrid population of P. uzungwensis and P. porosissima, and placed P. poyntoni in the synonymy of P. porosissima. Jacobsen (1989) was of the opinion that the Inhluzane population probably reflected the range in variation within P. porosissima, rather than a hybrid population involving P. uzungwensis.
The atlas data are reliable as this species is easily identified by its call and by diagnostic morphological characters. The distribution range shown in the map is reasonably accurate although the coverage is incomplete. More intensive surveys are required in order to clearly demarcate the distribution pattern of this species.
Further Resources
Virtual Museum (FrogMAP > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name)
More common names: Grassland Ridged Frog (Alternative English Name); Gestreepte Graspadda (Afrikaans)
Recommended citation format for this species text:
Minter LR, Passmore NI, Tippett RM. Striped Grass Frog Ptychadena porosissima. BDI, Cape Town.
Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/02/07/striped-grass-frog-ptychadena-porosissima/
Recommended citation format:
This species text has been updated and expanded from the text in the
2004 frog atlas. The reference to the text and the book are as follows:
Minter LR, Passmore NI 2004 Ptychadena porosissima Striped Grass Frog. In Minter LR
et al 2004.
Minter LR, Burger M, Harrison JA, Braack HH, Bishop PJ, Kloepfer D (eds)
2004. Atlas and Red Data Book of the Frogs of South Africa, Lesotho and
Swaziland. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, and Avian Demography
Unit, Cape Town.
