The Angry Squeaking Potato
Restricted to a thin strip of sand dunes along the Atlantic coast of South Africa and Namibia, the desert rain frog (Breviceps macrops) is one of the most distinctive amphibians on Earth.
Its body is almost completely spherical, with bulbous protruding eyes, a tiny downturned mouth, and stout, stubby limbs. Unlike typical frogs, it cannot hop or swim; instead, it walks ponderously across shifting dunes like an animated stone.
The High-Pitched Defensive War Cry
When confronted by a potential predator, such as a jackal or bird of prey, the desert rain frog inflates its body with air like a round balloon to make itself look larger.
Standing tall on its stiff little legs, it emits a surprisingly loud, high-pitched squeak that sounds like a toy dog squeaker. This acoustic display startles predators and gives the frog time to back-burrow into the sand.
Life in the Mist Dunes Without Open Water
Surviving in a desert without ponds or streams, the desert rain frog gets all its moisture from thick Atlantic sea fogs that roll over the coastal sand dunes at night.
During the day, it uses thick, hardened tubercles on its hind feet to burrow backward up to 20 centimeters into damp subsurface sand. Females lay clutches of large, yolk-rich eggs in underground chambers where the young develop directly into fully formed froglets, skipping the aquatic tadpole stage completely.
