African Clawed Frog

African clawed frogs (Xenopus) are aquatic frogs with small, wedged-shaped heads and flattened bodies. They have smooth skin, which is often mottled and olive to brown color on their backs and yellow-white on their bellies. Their front feet are small and unwebbed, and used to push food into the mouth. The hind legs are large and webbed with three sharp, black “claws” on the inner toes. These are not true claws, but instead cornified tips. Xenopus eyes are located at the top of the head and have no lids.  Xenopus have a lateral line system sensitive to vibrations, which allows them to detect prey and avoid predators in murky water. Xenopus can produce thousands of offspring from a single clutch of eggs.

The frog species Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis, are key model organisms for biomedical research. Historically Xenopus has been an important model for developmental biology research. Additionally, they regenerate tissues, organs, and limbs, making them an important model for regenerative medical research. X. tropicalis is the only Xenopus species to have a diploid genome, making it ideal for genome editing.