Archive/Frog Atlas

Northern Moss Frog (Arthroleptella subvoce)

Posted on by Ryan Tippett

No photo is currently available for this species.

Find the Northern Moss Frog in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.

Family Breviceptidae

NORTHERN MOSS FROG – Arthroleptella subvoce

Turner, De Villiers, Dawood & Channing, 2004

Habitat

The Northern Moss Frog occurs in montane fynbos where it inhabits densely vegetated mountain seeps. Especially in places where restios are abundant.

Behaviour

Not much is known about the life history of A. subvoce. Males are known to call from dense seep vegetation where they are well concealed. Eggs and gravid females have been found during August and September. 6 to 12 eggs are laid in a single mass in well vegetated seeps.

Status and Conservation

Arthroleptella subvoce is considered to be Critically endangered due to its very limited distribution.

Distribution

A. subvoce is restricted to the Groot Winterhoek mountains of the Western Cape.

There is currently no map available.

Further Resources

Virtual Museum (FrogMAP > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name)

More common names: Noordelike Mospadda (Afrikaans)

Recommended citation format for this species text:

Tippett RM. Northern Moss Frog Arthroleptella subvoce. BDI, Cape Town.
Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/03/28/northern-moss-frog-arthroleptella-subvoce/

Ryan Tippett
Ryan Tippett
Ryan is an enthusiastic contributor to Citizen Science and has added many important and interesting records of fauna and flora. He has been a member of the Virtual Museum since 2014 and has currently submitted over 12,000 records. He is on the expert identification panel for the OdonataMAP project. Ryan is a well-qualified and experienced Field Guide, and Guide Training Instructor. He has spent the last 18 years in the guiding and tourism industries. Ryan loves imparting his passion and knowledge onto others, and it is this that drew him into guide training in particular. Something that he finds incredibly rewarding is seeing how people he's had the privilege of teaching have developed and gone on to greater things. His interests are diverse and include Dragonflies, Birding, Arachnids, Amphibians, wild flowers and succulents, free diving and experiencing big game on foot. With this range of interests, there is always likely be something special just around the corner!