Xenopus is a genus of several species of aquatic frog native to freshwater lakes and streams of sub-Saharan
Africa. They are unusual in many respects, including being fully aquatic, having three claws on their webbed back feet,
having no webbing on their sensitive front fingers, having no tongue and being covered in a slimy mucus. They eat
invertebrates and small vertebrates, alive and dead, using their claws and fingers.
The African Clawed Frog, also called the Xenopus Frog, Xenopus laevis, is much used in biological experiments.
It is native mainly to Southern Africa. It can grow to some 5 inches (13cm) in length.
In times of drought or heavy rain it has been seen to move overland to a new water body.
Most are brown or green with blotches, but albino variants, as shown, are relatively common.
The Lake Oku Clawed Frog, Xenopus longipes, is found only in Lake Oku, a high altitude crater in Cameroon.
They have never been known to leave the water of the lake.
The claws help with climbing as well as tearing food. It is unusual in having 12 sets of chromosones.
The adult frogs of this critically endangered species grow to some 3.5cm long (head/body) whereas the tadpoles grow
to twice that length (includes tail) and take up to a year to become adults.