AMPHIBIAWEB
Xenopus victorianus
family: Pipidae
 
Species Description: Channing, A., and K. M. Howell. 2006.Amphibians of East Africa.Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.

© 2011 Martin Pickersgill (1 of 1)

  hear call (59.9K WAV file)
  hear call (59.9K WAV file)

[call details here]

Conservation Status (definitions)
IUCN (Red List) Status Least Concern (LC)
CITES
Other International Status None
National Status None
Regional Status None

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Burundi, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda

 

 View distribution map using BerkeleyMapper.

   

From the IUCN Red List Species Account:

 

Range Description

The range of this species is extremely unclear following its separation from Xenopus laevis. For the purposes of this assessment we have assumed that all animals in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo east of 28ºE refer to this species. It occurs up to 3,000 m asl. We therefore consider that all animals from Zambia southwards refer to Xenopus laevis, and all animals in Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo west of 28ºE refer to X. laevis sudanensis.

Habitat and Ecology

It is a water-dependent species occurring in a very wide range of habitats, including heavily modified anthropogenic habitats. It lives in all sorts of waterbodies, including streams, but tends to avoid large rivers, and waterbodies with predatory fish. It reaches its highest densities in eutrophic water. It breeds in water; there are no records of it breeding in flowing water. It has very high reproductive potential. It is a highly opportunistic species, and colonizes newly recreated, apparently isolated, waterbodies with ease. It can migrate in large numbers when breeding ponds start to dry up, and the weather is wet.

Population

It is an extremely abundant, and often increasing, species.

Population Trend

increasing

Major Threats

It is very successful and adaptable, and is not facing any significant threats.

Conservation Actions

It occurs in many protected areas.

Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)

Rationale

Listed as Least Concern in view of its very wide distribution, its tolerance of a broad range of habitats and its presumed large population.

Taxonomic Notes

We follow Channing and Howell (2006) and Pickersgill (2007) in treating this as a species distinct from Xenopus laevis.

Citation

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2013. Xenopus victorianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T136014A18398223. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T136014A18398223.en .Downloaded on 18 November 2018

 

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