African Clawed Frog

Also known as Platanna, African Clawed Toad, African Claw-toed Frog, Smooth Clawed Frog

African clawed frogs are entirely aquatic amphibians famous for their flattened bodies, lidless upward-facing eyes, and powerful, fully webbed hind feet tipped with sharp cornified black claws. Lacking a tongue and vocal cords, males produce rapid underwater clicking sounds by contracting specialized laryngeal muscles to court mates during breeding periods. They use their sensitive lateral line systems to detect vibrations from struggling prey in murky water, sweeping food directly into their mouths with their dexterous front fingers.