Blotched boulder-frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blotched boulder-frog |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Male Cophixalus petrophilus | |
| Scientific classification |
The Cophixalus petrophilus, also known as the blotched boulder-frog, is a type of frog. It was first described in 2013. You can find this frog on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. It was one of three new animal species found in Cape Melville, Australia, along with a skink and a gecko. The name petrophilus means "rock-loving," which is perfect because this frog loves to live among rocks!
Contents
What Does the Blotched Boulder-Frog Look Like?
Adult male blotched boulder-frogs are about 26 to 28 millimeters (about 1 inch) long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring 31 to 32 millimeters (about 1.2 inches). Their head is narrower than their body. They have a blunt or slightly sticking-out snout.
Their ears (called the tympanum) are quite big but not always easy to see. Their arms and legs are long. They don't have webbing between their fingers or toes. Their fingertips and toe tips are wide and flat, like little discs.
Their skin is smooth, but they have some tiny bumps on their back. The frog's back is creamy yellow with dark brown blotches. These blotches are lighter in females than in males. You might see a "W" shape on their shoulders and a bar between their eyes. A dark line goes through their eyes. Their belly is white or pinkish-grey, and their throat is white.
How Do Blotched Boulder-Frogs Reproduce?
Male blotched boulder-frogs make a special call to attract females. It's a short, medium-paced, low-pitched rattling sound. It sounds like about 1300 Hertz, which is a low frequency.
Scientists haven't seen these frogs lay eggs yet. However, they believe the blotched boulder-frog probably lays its eggs in moist cracks between rocks. This is how a similar frog, Cophixalus saxatilis, lays its eggs.
It's also likely that the baby frogs develop completely inside the eggs. The male frog might guard the eggs. When they hatch, tiny froglets come out, already looking like miniature adult frogs, without a tadpole stage.
Where Do Blotched Boulder-Frogs Live?
The blotched boulder-frog lives only in granite boulder fields. These are areas with lots of big rocks and not much plant life. They have been found at two spots on the Melville Range, about 120 to 470 meters (390 to 1,540 feet) above sea level.
Another frog, Cophixalus zweifeli, lives in the same area. But that frog prefers rocks near or under rainforests. The blotched boulder-frog, however, likes the purely rocky places.
These frogs are active at night, especially after or during rain. They sit on the surface of the deeply piled rocks. The first male frog found was calling from inside the layers of boulders.
See also
In Spanish: Cophixalus petrophilus para niños
