Poyntonia paludicola "crypticism"
Whilst on a walk on Donkerwater, we stopped at a glistening seepage to which a choir of frog calls had beckoned us (Strongylopus bonaespei, Poyntonia paludicola, Breviceps montanus and the infamous moss frogs).
As we carefully stepped from clearing to clearing on the rock as not to disturb tadpoles or the lush moss, in the tanniny shallow pools we noticed beautifully camouflaged (and ever so granular) adult Montane Marsh Frogs in amongst the algae! These little rough pebble-shaped babes are one of my favourite encounters in the fynbos, though I have never encountered them quite like this, though I know it to be typical behaviour of theirs. Usually, I find them hopping around a wet path or stowed away in a damp clutch of restio. Of course, the afternoon I decide to leave my camera behind. It seems a peaceful life, a tiny frog in a tiny pool pretending to be a tiny clump of slimy algae.
I am beyond grateful to live within their distribution and so close to the seepages these unique frogs call home. Hope to see field research out on these little endemics soon!
silly little gif:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Poyntonia_aggresssion.gif
