Allobates wayuu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allobates wayuu |
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Colostethus wayuu Acosta-Galvis, Cuentas, and Coloma, 1999 |
Allobates wayuu is a small frog that belongs to the Aromobatidae family. This special frog lives only in one place: the Serranía de Macuira mountains in La Guajira Department, Colombia. It has only been found in the Macuira National Natural Park. This means it is endemic to that area.
What's in a Name?
The frog's name, wayuu, comes from the Wayuu people. They are an important group of people who live in the northern part of Colombia. Scientists often name new species after the local people or places.
What Does the Wayuu Frog Look Like?
These frogs are quite small. Male frogs are about 14 to 17 millimeters long. Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring about 16 to 20 millimeters. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (tail end).
Their snout is shaped like an oval when you look from above. It also slopes forward when you look from the side. The frog's eardrum, called the tympanum, is partly hidden.
The Allobates wayuu has smooth skin. Its body is brown, and its legs are a creamy color. The back legs have brown stripes. The sides of the frog are dark brown and have bands that run along its back. Its lips are cream-colored, and its belly is creamy with some brownish-gray spots.
The frog's fingers and toes have special expanded discs, which help them grip surfaces. Its fingers do not have webbing, but its toes have a little bit of webbing.
Where Does the Wayuu Frog Live?
This frog lives in tropical forests where the plants are dry. You can also find it in secondary forests, which are forests that have grown back after being cut down. These frogs live at elevations from about 210 to 780 meters above sea level.
The female frog lays her eggs on the forest floor. Once the tadpoles hatch, the male frog carries them. He takes them to streams and ponds. The tadpoles then finish growing into frogs in these water bodies.
The only known group of these frogs lives inside the Macuira National Natural Park. This park helps protect their home and keeps them safe.
