Golden banana frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Golden banana frog |
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The golden banana frog is a small, colorful frog. It is also known as the golden dwarf reed frog or golden leaf-folding frog. Its scientific name is Afrixalus aureus. This frog lives in the warm, low-lying coastal areas. You can find it in eastern South Africa, Eswatini, and southern Mozambique. It belongs to a family of frogs called Hyperoliidae. Scientists sometimes discuss if a similar frog, Afrixalus crotalus, is a separate species or a type of golden banana frog.
What Does the Golden Banana Frog Look Like?
Adult male golden banana frogs are about 19 to 24 millimeters long. This is less than an inch! Females are a little bigger, measuring 22 to 26 millimeters. When they are very young froglets, they are only about 12 millimeters long.
Their snout, or nose area, gets narrower towards the tip. Their back often feels a bit rough. But their chest and belly are smooth. They have a large, bumpy throat area called a gular disc.
The color of their back can be light brown or a bright golden yellow. They often have light brown or dark patches near their hips. They also have clear bands along their sides. Their belly is whitish. The hidden parts of their legs and toes are yellowish. Their throat and gular disc are orange.
Where Do Golden Banana Frogs Live and How Do They Reproduce?
These frogs live in natural areas like savannas, bushy lands, and grasslands. They prefer places that are not higher than 300 meters above sea level.
They lay their eggs in still water, like ponds and marshes. They also use dense grass at the edges of shallow pools. The female frog folds blades of grass vertically. She then glues her eggs inside these folded leaves. The eggs are placed just above the water surface.
Are Golden Banana Frogs Safe?
The golden banana frog is very common in places where it breeds. So, there are many of them. However, some groups of these frogs might be in danger. This is because their habitat is being lost. Coastal areas are being developed for buildings and farms. Also, the spread of Eucalyptus trees can dry up the seasonal pools they need. Some frogs might also be affected by chemicals used to control mosquitoes.
