Atelopus subornatus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atelopus subornatus |
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Atelopus flaviventris Werner, 1899 |
The Bogota stubfoot toad (scientific name: Atelopus subornatus) is a special kind of toad. It belongs to the Bufonidae family, which includes many toads. This toad is only found in Colombia, specifically in the Eastern Andes mountains in the Cundinamarca Department. Being "endemic" means it lives only there and nowhere else in the world!
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What Does It Look Like?
A scientist named Franz Werner first described this toad in 1899. He studied three toads to learn about the species. These toads were about 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) long.
Body Features
The Bogota stubfoot toad has a fairly slim body. Its head is about as wide as it is long. Its fingers have only a little bit of webbing at the bottom. However, its toes have a lot of webbing, which helps it swim.
Colors and Patterns
The top part of the toad's body, called the dorsum, is dark red-brown. This color changes to yellowish or greenish on its sides.
How Does It Reproduce?
Atelopus subornatus toads lay their eggs in streams. Their egg masses look like long strings. Each tiny embryo, which is a baby toad developing, is about 2 to 3 millimeters long. It is protected inside a jelly capsule.
Egg Strings
Some of these jelly capsules might be empty. The egg strings do not stick to anything. Instead, they sink to the bottom of the stream. They often get caught by rocks or other things in the water.
Tadpoles
The baby toads, called tadpoles, have clear markings. They are boldly colored with cream and black patterns.
Where Does It Live and How Is It Protected?
The Bogota stubfoot toad lives in cloud forests. These forests can be untouched or slightly changed by humans. It also lives in sub-páramos, which are high-altitude grasslands. These areas are found at elevations between 2,000 and 3,020 meters (6,560 to 9,910 feet) above sea level.
Breeding Habitat
As mentioned, these toads breed in streams within their habitat.
Threats to Survival
Sadly, the Bogota stubfoot toad faces several dangers. One major threat is a disease called chytridiomycosis. This disease is caused by a fungus that harms amphibians.
Other threats come from human activities. These include habitat loss, which means their natural homes are disappearing. This loss is often due to farms expanding into their areas. Water pollution from pig farms also harms the streams where they live and breed.
