and to eject watery fluid over the egg mass from her vent. Hibernation has been observed in captive specimens. Prior to hibernation, frogs lose interest on food and become less active, before finally concealing themselves among the roots of grasses near the waterline. They position themselves head uppermost, often with the hind parts touching the water or even partly submerged. This behaviour has not been observed in the field, but its timing in captive specimens coincides with the disappearance of frogs from their breeding sites in the wild. Habitat and conservation Hyperolius spinigularis occurs in forest and dambo habitats at elevations of above sea level. Breeding takes place in seasonal and permanent pools. The species is relatively common in Malawi; its abundance in Mozambique is unknown. It is affected by large-scale habitat loss caused by deforestation and agricultural expansion, including the use of fire for habitat conversion. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as "Vulnerable". References spinigularis Frogs of Africa Amphibians of Malawi Amphibians of Mozambique Amphibians described in 1971 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot