The Micro Frog is a minute species of frog

Frog

Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

 in the Pyxicephalidae

Pyxicephalidae

Pyxicephalidae is a family of frogs.-Classification:Pyxicephalidae contains two subfamilies, with a total of 13 genera. This family was formerly considered part of the family Ranidae.Family PYXICEPHALIDAE* Subfamily Cacosterninae...

 family, in the monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

 genus Microbatrachella. At around 18 millimetre long it is one of the smallest regional species. Their colour varies from rufous brown with dark mottling, to tan or green, depending on the population.

It is endemic to the south-western Cape area of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, with a single population found on the Cape Flats of Cape Town and a series of populations on the eastern side of False Bay

False Bay

False Bay is a body of water defined by Cape Hangklip and the Cape Peninsula in the extreme South-West of South Africa.- Description and location :...

, from Kogelberg

Kogelberg

The Kogelberg is a range of mountains along the False Bay coast in the Western Cape of South Africa. They form part of the Cape Fold Belt and start south of Grabouw and form a steep coastal range to Kleinmond. The Kogelberg area has the steepest and highest drop directly into the ocean of any...

 to Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

.

Its natural habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

 is at low altitudes, in and around shallow, vegetated freshwater wetland

Wetland

A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....

s in coastal restioid

Restionaceae

Restionaceae, also called restiads, is the botanical name for a family of rush-like flowering plants native to the Southern Hemisphere.- Description :...

 fynbos

Fynbos

Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...

, a mediterranean-type vegetation dominated by restio

Restio

Restio is the name of a group of plants within the Restionaceae. Many species formerly included within the Restio genus are now classified into a number of other genera including Acion, Baloskion and Eurychorda....

s (Cape Reed). Typically these wetlands have some areas of permanent water along with other areas that are inundated during the winter - spring rainy season.

It is a critically endangered species threatened by habitat loss, mainly due to draining of wetlands for coastal strip development.