Müller's Platanna

Fascinating facts about the Müller's Platanna

• A longer subocular tentacle lets Müller's platanna stand out from its close cousin Xenopus laevis, acting like a tiny antenna above each eye.
• This frog inhabits an astonishing variety of settings, from dry savannas and moist lowland forests to intermittent rivers, ponds, and even human-made canals, showing it can thrive in both wild and cultivated landscapes across Africa.
• Where its range overlaps with the African clawed frog, X. muelleri consistently chooses the warmer, lower-elevation spots, hinting at a subtle but clear niche split between the two species.

At a glance

About the Müller's Platanna

Müller's platanna (Xenopus muelleri) can be distinguished from Xenopus laevis by a relatively longer subocular tentacle. It occurs in many African countries and inhabits a wide range of habitats including dry forests, moist lowland forests, savannas, shrublands, grasslands, rivers, lakes, marshes, springs, arable land, pastureland, gardens, ponds, excavations, and canals and ditches. Where its distribution overlaps with X. laevis, X. muelleri prefers warmer areas at lower elevations.

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