Xenopus laevis

See on museum website

Description

The African Clawed Frog is well known because it has been used as a laboratory animal and kept as a pet. Although they are native to southern Africa, they have been introduced to many areas of the world. This frog has a flattened body and wedge-shaped head, and webbed feet which are suitable for its aquatic lifestyle. They can be found in streams and warm, stagnant ponds in arid and semi-arid regions. They are hardy and long-lived, some captive individuals living for more than 20 years. This is a 3-D printed, hand-painted model.

Object Information

Place of Creation/Discovery:

South Africa: Western Cape: Laignsburg, Jacques Boubon Leftley pond

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Amphibia

Order:

Anura

Family:

Pipidae

Genus:

Xenopus

Species:

laevis

Scientific Name:

Xenopus laevis

Common Name:

African Clawed Frog

Appears In

Resource Kit
Harvard Museum of Natural History

Frogs in 3-D

Why are there so many different kinds of frogs? How did this diversity arise? This resource kit explores these questions, using instructional videos, sketching activities, and careful observation of 3-D models printed from actual frogs chosen from the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology Herpetology Collection.

Created by: Harvard Museum of Natural History

Grade 3-8