Du Toit's torrent frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Du Toit's torrent frog |
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Petropedetes dutoiti (Loveridge, 1935) |
The Du Toit's torrent frog is a special kind of frog. It's also known as the Mt. Elgon torrent frog or the Kenya rocky river frog. Its scientific name is Arthroleptides dutoiti. This frog lives only on Mount Elgon in Kenya. It has not been found on the Ugandan side of the mountain. It's called a 'torrent frog' because it lives near fast-flowing water.
This frog was first discovered by Cornelius Albertus du Toit in 1934. He was a professor who studied animals in South Africa.
Meet the Du Toit's Torrent Frog
The Du Toit's torrent frog is quite small. It grows to about 31 millimeters long. That's about the length of a paperclip! Its head is a bit wider than it is long. You can clearly see its eardrums, which are called tympana.
This frog has half-webbed toes, but its fingers are not webbed. The skin on its back is bumpy and pitted. However, the rest of its skin is smooth. This frog is mostly black. Only the tips of its fingers and toes are slightly white.
Where Du Toit's Torrent Frogs Live
You can find the Du Toit's torrent frog in and around rocky mountain streams. These frogs lay their eggs on wet rocks. They choose spots close to fast-flowing streams and waterfalls. The baby frogs, called tadpoles, grow up on these rocks. They develop out of the water.
Protecting the Du Toit's Torrent Frog
The Du Toit's torrent frog is an EDGE species. This means it is very unique in evolution and is also in danger. Sadly, this frog was last seen in 1962. Scientists have looked for it since then, but they haven't found it.
The places where this frog lives seem to be in good condition. So, its disappearance might be due to a disease. One possible cause is a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis.
