Editing African clawed frog (section)

== Behaviour ==
African clawed frogs are fully aquatic and will rarely leave the water except to migrate to new water bodies during droughts or other disturbances. Clawed frogs have powerful legs that help them move quickly both underwater and on land. Feral clawed frogs in South Wales have been found to travel up to {{Convert|2|km|mi}} between locations.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Measy |last2=Tinsley |first=John |first2=Richard|date=1998|title=Feral ''Xenopus Laevis'' in South Wales|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277146235|journal=Herpetological Journal|volume= 8|pages=23–27|via=ResearchGate}}</ref> The feet of ''Xenopus'' species have three black claws on the last three digits. These claws are used to rip apart food and scratch predators.

Clawed frogs are carnivores and will eat both living and dead prey, including fish, tadpoles, crustaceans, annelids, arthropods, and more. Clawed frogs will try to consume anything that is able to fit into their mouths. Being aquatic, clawed frogs use their sense of smell and their lateral line to detect prey rather than eyesight like other frogs. However, clawed frogs can still see using their eyes and will stalk prey or watch predators by sticking their heads out of the water.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Denton |last2=Pirenne |first=E.J. |first2=M.H.|title=The visual sensitivity of the toad ''Xenopus laevis''|date=11 February 1954|journal=J Physiol|volume=125|issue=1|pages=181–207|doi=10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005149|pmid=13192764|pmc=1365702}}</ref> Clawed frogs will dig through substrate to unearth worms and other food. Unlike other frogs, they have no tongue to extend to catch food, so clawed frogs use their hands to grab food and shovel it into their mouths.<ref>{{Cite web |title=African Clawed Frog (''Xenopus laevis'') — Species Profile |url=https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=67 |access-date=23 January 2024 |website=USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database |language=en}}</ref>

These frogs are particularly cannibalistic; the stomach contents of feral clawed frogs in California have revealed large amounts of the frog's larvae.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McCoid |last2=Fritts |first=M.J. |first2=T.H. |date=12 December 1991|title=Speculations on colonizing success of the African clawed frog, ''Xenopus laevis'' (Pipidae), in California|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284592683|journal=South African Journal of Zoology|volume=28|pages=59–61|doi=10.1080/02541858.1993.11448290|via=ResearchGate|doi-access=free}}</ref> Clawed frog larvae are filter feeders and collect nutrients from plankton, allowing adult frogs that consume the tadpoles to have access to these nutrients. This allows clawed frogs to survive in areas that have little to no other food sources.

Clawed frogs are nocturnal, and most reproductive activity and feeding occurs after dark. Male clawed frogs are very promiscuous and will grab onto other males and even other species of frogs.<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 September 2019|title=African Clawed Frog (''Xenopus laevis'')|url=https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32819033|website=iNaturalist}}</ref> Male frogs that are grasped will make release calls and attempt to break free.

If not feeding, clawed frogs will just sit motionless on top of the substrate or floating, legs splayed below, at the water's surface with their nostrils and eyes sticking out.