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AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
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Spotted rubber frog
Phrynomantis affinis
A fossorial African amphibian known for its rubbery skin and bright red or orange spots. Produces toxic skin secretions and requires warm, humid setups.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Microhylidae
Subfamily:Phrynomerinae
Genus:Phrynomantis
Species:Phrynomantis affinis
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
55 - 75 %
Day temperature
24 - 26 °C
Night temperature
20 °C
Ambient temperature
24 - 26 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to central-southern Africa, with documented populations in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Namibia, and potential occurrences in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. It inhabits humid and dry savannas, open grasslands, and seasonal scrublands, hiding under rocks, in rotted logs, or soil crevices.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Phrynomantis affinis is a member of the Microhylidae family, genus Phrynomantis. Commonly known as the spotted rubber frog or Pweto snake-necked frog. Phylogenetic studies are sparse due to the secretive nature of the species, confirming its lineage specialization to cope with seasonal drought environments.
Behavior and Habits: Terrestrial and fossorial, active mostly at night or during heavy rains. Instead of jumping, it walks or runs with a distinct gait. When threatened, it inflates its body and secretes a toxic, sticky mucus from its skin, which is highly irritating to the eyes and mucous membranes of predators (and humans).
Morphology: Features an elongated body and a small head with a flexible neck, allowing it to turn its head slightly. The limbs are short and lack webbing. The skin is smooth, glossy, and rubbery. The base color is dark grey, brown, or black, patterned with prominent round red, orange, or pink spots on its back and legs.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a horizontal terrarium of at least 60x40x40 cm (24x16x16 inches) for a pair or small group. The substrate is critical: provide a 8-10 cm deep mix of peat moss, coco coir, and leaf litter to support burrowing. Include multiple dark hiding spaces such as cork bark tubes and flat slate stones.
Lighting and Heating: Low-intensity LED lighting is sufficient to simulate a 12-hour day cycle. Heating should be provided via a side-mounted heat mat controlled by a thermostat, keeping the warm side at 24-26°C (75-79°F) and the cool side around 21-22°C (70-72°F). Avoid under-tank heating to prevent drying out burrowed frogs.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain relative humidity at 60-70%, boosting to 80% with warm water spraying once or twice daily. Provide a very shallow water dish filled with dechlorinated water. The frog drinks and absorbs moisture through its skin and cannot cope with deep water due to lack of swimming adaptations.
Feeding and Supplementation: Insectivorous, feeding on small live prey like crickets, small roaches, mealworms, and fruit flies. Feeders must be dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 twice a week for juveniles and once a week for adults to prevent metabolic bone disease. Feed during the evening hours.
Compatibility: Strictly a species-only tank animal. Due to its toxic skin secretions, it must not be housed with other amphibians or reptiles. Avoid direct skin contact; use disposable nitrile gloves during maintenance to protect the frog's skin barrier and prevent skin irritation on your hands.
Health and Common Diseases: Susceptible to bacterial and fungal skin infections (chytrid) from dirty or waterlogged substrates. Metabolic bone disease is a threat if calcium is omitted. Ensure adequate cross-ventilation in the terrarium to prevent stagnant air, and spot-clean waste regularly.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to central-southern Africa, with documented populations in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Namibia, and potential occurrences in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. It inhabits humid and dry savannas, open grasslands, and seasonal scrublands, hiding under rocks, in rotted logs, or soil crevices.
Origin
North AmericaAfrica and Madagascar
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 6.5 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 6.5 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 6.5 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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