Giant Bullfrog

Afrikaans name: Grootbrulpadda

Giant Bullfrog

Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com

Pyxicephalus adspersus

The Giant Bullfrog lives up to its name as it can grow to a length of 20 cm.

These bullfrogs have olive green upperparts with ridges of skin. Youngsters are mottled green and black in colour.

The Giant Bullfrog remains buried for a large part of the year. It breeds in temporary puddles and shallow pans during the rainy season. The males defend the nest and tadpoles and can be quite aggressive, even to animals that are a lot bigger than them. They also dig canals in the mud to alter the flow of water around the eggs and tadpoles.

Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com

Their eyes are horizontally eliptical in bright light.

References and further reading

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 256

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 69

Wild Issue 1 - Author: - Published: 2007 - Page: 7

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 86

The Living Deserts of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Darry Lovegrove - Published: 2021 - Page: 181

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 252

The Living Deserts of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Darry Lovegrove - Published: 2021 - Page: 168

The Chamberlain Guide to Birding Gauteng - Author: Etienne Marais and Faansie Peacock - Published: 2008 - Page: 45

South African Frogs - Author: Passmore & Carruthers - Published: 1979 - Page: 112

Reptiles & Amphibians of Southern Africa - Author: Warren Schmidt - Published: 2006 - Page: 115

Sasol First Field Guide to Frogs of Southern Africa - Author: Vincent Carruthers - Published: 2012 - Page: 44

Freshwater Life - Author: C. Griffiths, J. Day & M. Picker - Published: 2015 - Page: 68

Frogs & Frogging in South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Vincent Carruthers - Published: 2001 - Page: 70

Field Guide to the Frogs & Toads of the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site - Author: Conradie, Du Preez, Smith and Weldon - Published: 2006 - Page: 42

Frogs & Frogging in South Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Vincent Carruthers and Louis du Preez - Published: 2011 - Page: 74

A complete guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: L du Preez & V Carruthers - Published: 2009 - Page: 414

A Field Guide to the Eastern Cape Coast - Author: R. Lubke, F. Gess & M. Bruton - Published: 1988 - Page: 253

African Wildlife - Vol 37 No 6 - Author: - Published: 1983 - Page: 238

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