Boutry river frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boutry river frog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Phrynobatrachidae |
| Genus: | Phrynobatrachus |
| Species: |
P. calcaratus
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| Binomial name | |
| Phrynobatrachus calcaratus (Peters, 1863)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Phrynobatrachus calcaratus is a small frog. It is also known as the Boutry river frog or Peters' puddle frog. This frog belongs to the Phrynobatrachidae family.
You can find these frogs across a large area. They live in West Africa and Middle Africa. This includes countries like Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Scientists believe that what we call Phrynobatrachus calcaratus might actually be several very similar species.
What Does It Look Like?
The Phrynobatrachus calcaratus is a small frog. Males grow to be about 11 to 19 millimeters long. Females are a bit bigger, reaching 16 to 23 millimeters. That's about the length of your thumbnail!
This frog has a rounded snout. Its skin is a bit warty. Its fingers and toes are mostly not webbed. Most of these frogs are green or brown on their backs. Their bellies are usually white. Some frogs have a cool red stripe down their back. Others might have a red band across their body.
During the breeding season, male frogs have a special feature. They have a black vocal sac on their throat. This sac helps them make loud calls to attract females.
Where Does It Live?
This frog likes to live in different kinds of places. You can find it in forests that grow along rivers. These are called gallery forests. It also lives in newer forests near streams. These areas are often called secondary forests.
The frog can also be found in "farm bush" areas. These are places with farms and bushes. It can even move into savannas if the land hasn't been burned. These frogs mostly live in low-lying areas. But in Cameroon, they can be found as high as 1200 meters (about 4,000 feet) above sea level.
How Does It Reproduce?
When it's time to breed, male frogs call near water. They need a good water source for their eggs. Female frogs lay hundreds of eggs at a time. These eggs hatch very quickly, usually in just three days.
The tadpoles grow up fast. They become adult frogs in about four to five months. These frogs have a short life. They often die within a few months after they have laid their own eggs.
What About Its Status?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) checks on animals around the world. They have listed the Phrynobatrachus calcaratus as "least concern". This means the frog is not in danger of disappearing.
It's an adaptable species. This means it can live in many different environments. It also has a very wide range across Africa. Its numbers seem to be stable, which is good news for this little frog!
 | Delilah Pierce |
 | Gordon Parks |
 | Augusta Savage |
 | Charles Ethan Porter |
