Hyperolius marmoratus
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The marbled reed frog or painted reed frog (Hyperolius marmoratus) is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae found in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, Lesotho, Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania.
It occurs in a wide range of natural habitats, including forests, savannas, shrublands, grasslands, rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, and intermittent freshwater lakes. It coexists well with humans, and is also found in pastureland, rural gardens, and urban areas. Its range appears to be expanding to the winter rainfall area of the Western Cape.
Species in the genus Hyperolius may display different colouration and patterns during day and night. Daylight colours are usually pale and drab, while their night-time appearance is colourful and eye-catching – see images below. Wikipedia →
Recording0:09
South Africa · 2022
© Adam Welz · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording1:01
South Africa · 2023
© Ryan van Huyssteen · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
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Mozambique · 2024
© Nick Helme · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 5 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Reed Frog sighting in Durban on a given day, based on 178 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 13 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October and December
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Reed Frog in Durban on a given day, against about 10% in June to August, the lowest months. Those are among Durban's wettest months, with about 180 mm of rain a month against 25 mm in June.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Painted Reed Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Painted Reed Frog sightings, Durban has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Cape Town (South Africa, about 20%).
Same genus: Hyperolius
The closest relatives of the Painted Reed Frog that you can see in Durban (genus Hyperolius, Reed Frogs) are Tinker Reed Frog (about 20%), Water Lily Reed Frog (about 10%) and argus reed frog (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Painted Reed Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Durban (178 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
