Lake Oku clawed frog

Lake Oku Clawed Frog
Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Pipidae
Genus:	Xenopus
Species:	X. longipes
Binomial name
Xenopus longipes Loumont & Kobel, 1991

The Lake Oku Clawed Frog (Xenopus longipes) is a species of frog in the Pipidae family.

Physical description

Lake Oku Clawed Frogs are small, with males growing to an average of 28-31 mm and females 32-36 mm. The name results from the claws at the ends of its four webbed feet. It is grey or brown in colour, with small black dots. These frogs also have a very small number of chromosomes, only twelve sets. It is fully aquatic.

Distribution

The Lake Oku Clawed Frog lives exclusively in Lake Oku, a small crater lake in central Cameroon.

Conservation

The Lake Oku Clawed Frogs are right now critically endangered. It is in a precarious position, as fish species being introduced to the lake could result in the extinction of X. longipes.

The lake it lives in, and the surrounding forest are now a nature reserve, set up by BirdLife International. Conservation breeding populations have been established at several zoos. Antwerp Zoo is also maintaining an active research program. Efforts are being made by Antwerp Zoo to establish a captive breeding program for X. longipes in range in Cameroon.

Source

• Tinsley, R. & Measey, J. 2004. Xenopus longipes. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 July 2007.

Browne RK, Blackburn DC, Doherty-Bone T. 2009. Species profile of the Lake Oku clawed frog (Xenopus longipes). http://www.amphibianark.org/pdf/Husbandry/Species Profile - Xenopus longipes, 9 July .pdf