Scientific Name – Xenopus laevis

Classification – Pipidae

Baby Name – Tadpole, polliwog, froglet

Collective Noun – Army, colony

Average Length – Female: 4.5 in; Male: 2.5 in

Average Weight – Female: 7 oz; Male: 2 oz

Life Expectancy – 5 to 25 years

Breeding Season – Mating can occur during any time of the year, but most common in the spring

Incubation Period – Not known

Metamorphosis Period – 4 to 5 days

Special Features – Have actual claws used to climb and shred foods; although it does not have vocal sac, it can make mating calls by contracting the laryngeal muscles

Family Unit – Generally solitary creature except during the breeding season

Geographical Distribution – Africa (native); North America, South America, and Europe (introduced)

World Population – Increasing

Conservation Status – Least Concern

Natural Habitat – Wetlands, ponds, lakes

Diet – Insectivore, scavenger

Predators – Birds, snakes, fish, mammals