Xenopus victorianus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	ANURA	PIPIDAE

Scientific Name:

Xenopus victorianus

Species Authority:

Ahl, 1924

Common Name/s:

English

–

Mwanza Frog, Lake Vistoria Clawed Frog

Synonym/s:

Xenopus laevis Ahl, 1924

Taxonomic Notes:

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

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	Tinsley, R., Measey, J. & Howell, K.
Reviewer/s:	Stuart, S. & Cox, N.
Justification: Listed as Least Concern in view of its very wide distribution, its tolerance of a broad range of habitats, its presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Geographic Range [top]

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 3,000m 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.
Countries:	Native: Burundi; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Kenya; Rwanda; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is an extremely abundant, and often increasing, species.
Population Trend:	Increasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

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.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

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.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is very successful and adaptable, and is not facing any significant threats.

Major Threat(s):

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

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It occurs in many protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

It occurs in many protected areas.

Bibliography [top]

	Channing, A. and Howell, K.M. 2006. Amphibians of East Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main. IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008). Lötters, S., Wagner, P., Bwong, B.A., Schick, S., Malonza, P.K., Muchai, V., Wasonga, D.V. and Veith, M. 2007. A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Kakamega Forest. National Museums of Kanya and University of Mainz, Nairobi and Mainz. Pickersgill, M. 2007. Frog Search. Results of Expeditions to Southern and Eastern Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Channing, A. and Howell, K.M. 2006. Amphibians of East Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008).

Lötters, S., Wagner, P., Bwong, B.A., Schick, S., Malonza, P.K., Muchai, V., Wasonga, D.V. and Veith, M. 2007. A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Kakamega Forest. National Museums of Kanya and University of Mainz, Nairobi and Mainz.

Pickersgill, M. 2007. Frog Search. Results of Expeditions to Southern and Eastern Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Citation:	Tinsley, R., Measey, J. & Howell, K. 2008. Xenopus victorianus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012.
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