Indigenous names of frogs and reptiles
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 6:03 pm
South Africa’s frogs and reptiles get their own list of names in local languages
Giant bullfrog. Fortunate Mafeta Phaka, Author provided
April 29, 2025 - Fortunate Mafeta Phaka - Senior Postdoctoral Researcher of herptile-human interactions, North-West University
Naming all the creatures and plants in nature is no small task. Fortunate Phaka is a zoologist who has conducted the first comprehensive analysis of naming and classification of frogs and reptiles in nine South African cultures. The list includes 136 frog and 407 reptile species that have been scientifically described. He explains why it’s important to record all the species names that people use in their own languages.
Click on the title to read the rest of the story
Giant bullfrog. Fortunate Mafeta Phaka, Author provided
April 29, 2025 - Fortunate Mafeta Phaka - Senior Postdoctoral Researcher of herptile-human interactions, North-West University
Naming all the creatures and plants in nature is no small task. Fortunate Phaka is a zoologist who has conducted the first comprehensive analysis of naming and classification of frogs and reptiles in nine South African cultures. The list includes 136 frog and 407 reptile species that have been scientifically described. He explains why it’s important to record all the species names that people use in their own languages.
Click on the title to read the rest of the story