The African dwarf frog is a genus of aquatic frog native to parts of Equatorial Africa. It is common in the pet trade and is often mistaken for the African clawed frog, a similar-looking frog in the same family. African dwarf frogs (Hymenochirus) are also known as dwarf clawed frogs. Their common name is obtained from their place of origin and the claws on their hind legs. Distribution African dwarf frogs occur in forested parts of equatorial Africa, from Nigeria and Cameroon in the north, and south through Gabon and east throughout the Congo River Basin. Species There are four species: Zaire dwarf clawed frog, Hymenochirus boettgeri Tornier, 1896 Eastern dwarf clawed frog, Hymenochirus boulengeri De Witte, 1930 Western dwarf clawed frog, Hymenochirus curtipes Noble, 1924 Gaboon dwarf clawed frog, Hymenochirus feae Boulenger, 1906 Description African dwarf frogs live their entire lives underwater, but need to rise to the surface to breathe air as they have lungs and not gills. These frogs are small in size and do not weigh more than a few grams. They vary in color, mostly ranging from olive green to brown with black spots. The average life expectancy of these frogs is five years, but they have been known to live longer than 20 years, and they can grow to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long. African dwarf frogs can be mistaken for and are often sold as young African clawed frogs, of the genus Xenopus, which are larger and more aggressive than the dwarf. All species of Pipidae are tongueless, toothless, and completely aquatic. They use their webbed feet to shove food in their mouths and down their throats, and a hyobranchial pump to draw or suck food into their mouths. Pipidae have powerful legs for swimming and lunging after food. They also use the claws on their feet to tear pieces of large food. They lack true ears, but have lateral lines running down the length of their bodies and undersides; this is how they can sense movements and vibration in the water. They use their sensitive fingers, sense of smell, and lateral line system to find food. They are scavengers and will eat anything living, dying, or dead and any type of organic detritus. These frogs have tiny black claws on their hind legs, which caused one of their discoverers, Oskar Boettger, to originally call them African dwarf clawed frogs, but they quickly