The incredible platanna and its deadly legacy

Abstract

The South African clawed toad Xenopus laevis commonly referred to as the platanna occurs naturally in water bodies throughout much of southern and central Africa. It has also been introduced all over the world and is now established in natural habitats in large parts of the USA, the UK, most of western Europe, and is invading Chile at an alarming rate. Apart from these feral populations you are also likely to find colonies of these toads in laboratories in many university cities around the world. The clawed toad is today, together with half a dozen other creatures, the standard laboratory research animal all over the world.

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