Blaira ornata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blaira ornata |
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Ansonia ornata Günther, 1876 |
The ornate toad (also known as the Malabar torrent toad or black torrent toad) is a special type of toad. Its scientific name is Blaira ornata. This toad is very rare and is found only in the Western Ghats of India.
Scientists have changed its scientific name a few times. It used to be in a group called Ansonia, then Ghatophryne, and now it's in a new group called Blaira. This change happened in 2021.
What Does It Look Like?
The ornate toad has a slender body. Its head is smooth, and its snout is short. Its eyes are quite large, and it has a clear eardrum (called a tympanum) that is about half the size of its eye.
Its fingers are thin, and its toes are short. They are almost completely webbed, which helps it move in water. The tips of its fingers and toes are a bit swollen.
When the toad stretches its back leg forward, its ankle joint can reach between its eye and the tip of its snout. The front part of its back has small bumps, while the rest of its back is smooth.
The toad's skin is a bit rough and usually dry. Its belly is often held above the ground. The top of its body can be dark red or black.
The underside of the toad is very colorful! It has bright red skin with yellow circular spots. There are also two yellow spots near its jaw. This bright coloring might be a warning sign to predators, a behavior called the unken reflex. It means "I might be poisonous, so don't eat me!"
Male ornate toads have a special vocal sac under their throat. They use this sac to make calls. From its snout to its rear, this toad is about 1.2 inches long.
Where Does It Live?
The ornate toad lives in streams, hiding in cracks among small to large rocks. It can be active both during the day and at night.
This toad is found in the Western Ghats mountain range in India. It also lives in the nearby Nilgiris regions.
Why Is It Important?
The ornate toad is considered an endangered species. This means there are very few of them left in the wild. Protecting their habitat and making sure they have clean streams to live in is very important for their survival.
Images for kids
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The Malabar Torrent Toad, also known as the ornate toad.
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A close-up view of the Malabar Torrent Toad.
