Wager's Stream Frog

morphology

The dorsal colouration varies from uniform light brown or yellow-green to brick red, and is slightly paler on the snout. A distinct, dark band passes from the nostril through the eye to the shoulder and then continues along the flank. Faint barring on the legs and a narrow, pale vertebral stripe may be present (Wager 1965; Lambiris 1989). S. wageri may be distinguished from S. grayii , which sometimes has a similar dorsal colour pattern, by the extent of the webbing on the longest toe: in S. wageri no more than three phalanges are free of webbing, whereas in S. grayii , four or occasionally three phalanges are free of webbing (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

African Amphibians

conservation

S. wageri is placed in the category Near Threatened (Harrison et al. 2001) because of its small extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, fragmented distribution, and an existing and projected decline in the extent and quality of its habitat over a large part of its range (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

African Amphibians

associations

Adult S. wageri prey on terrestrial arthropods and gastropods (Channing 1979). Lambiris (1988) found that prey included a variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic insects. In turn, they are probably eaten by a variety of vertebrates such as birds, snakes, otters and other frogs. Channing (1979) observed a crab climbing onto vegetation to devour the eggs of this species (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

African Amphibians

distribution

S. wageri is endemic to South Africa (Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).

African Amphibians