Hyperolius pusillus
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Hyperolius pusillus (common names: waterlily reed frog and various variants thereof, dwarf reed frog) is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found throughout diverse environments in eastern and southern Africa.
It is a very common frog. Its natural habitats are open savanna, bush land and grassland. Breeding takes place in shallow pans, vleis, open swamps, and dams with floating vegetation such as water lilies. Hyperolius pusillus can resemble members of the larger Hyperolius argus species, which is also native to eastern and southern Africa.
Hyperolius pusillus is found in both eastern and southern Africa. Key populations are found in southern Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. There are also populations in northern Malawi and Botswana. The species may also extend into the far west of Kenya and portions of Uganda.
Hyperolius pusillus is also found in Eswatini, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania. Different populations display different coloration. The different populations vary in color. They are generally green, with darker specks covering their bodies, and different populations display patterns such as an hourglass... Wikipedia →
Recording0:06
Tanzania · 2009
© probreviceps · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
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South Africa · 2022
© magdastlucia · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
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South Africa · 2025
© Kurt van Wyk · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Aquarium, Houston | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Water Lily Reed Frog sighting in Kruger National Park on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 21st most-seen of the 28 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–May and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Water Lily Reed Frog in Kruger National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–February and June–November, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Water Lily Reed Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Water Lily Reed Frog sightings, Kruger National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Water Lily Reed Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Kruger National Park (14 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
