Cameroon forest tree frog facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cameroon forest tree frog
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Clade:	Leptopelis
Species:	L. brevirostris
Binomial name
Leptopelis brevirostris (Werner, 1898)
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Synonyms
Hylambates brevirostris Werner, 1898

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The Cameroon forest tree frog (Leptopelis brevirostris) is a type of frog that belongs to the Arthroleptidae family. You can find this frog in parts of southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (including Bioko island), and Gabon. Scientists think it might also live in the southwestern Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo, but this has not been officially confirmed yet.

What Does the Cameroon Forest Tree Frog Look Like?

Adult male Cameroon forest tree frogs are about 38 to 45 millimeters long. That's roughly the length of a small paperclip! Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring 49 to 64 millimeters.

Their back, called the dorsum, is smooth. It can be green, beige, or grey. Sometimes, they have a darker spot on their back that reaches up to their eyes. Their belly, or ventrum, is white. These frogs have a very short snout, which is why their scientific name is brevirostris (brevi means short, and rostris means snout). They also have a visible eardrum, called a tympanum, which is set at an angle on their head.

How Do These Frogs Reproduce?

Male Cameroon forest tree frogs make a short, clear "tok" sound to attract females. They usually repeat this sound once or twice, sometimes even three times.

These males call from spots far away from water, like ponds or puddles. The eggs they lay are also quite large, about 5 millimeters across, and full of yolk. This suggests that the baby frogs develop directly from the egg. This means they don't have a free-swimming tadpole stage like many other frogs. This is different from most Leptopelis frogs, which usually have tadpoles that live in water.

Where Do These Frogs Live and How Are They Protected?

The Cameroon forest tree frog lives in old, dense lowland rainforests. These are forests with tall trees that form a thick roof, letting little sunlight through. It seems these frogs mostly eat snails.

Male frogs often call from branches and vines, usually no higher than 3 meters (about 10 feet) off the ground. You can often find many of these frogs in one area.

The Cameroon forest tree frog is a common species. However, its home is being affected by things like farms growing bigger, trees being cut down for wood, and new human settlements. Luckily, this frog lives in several protected areas. These include the Korup National Park in Cameroon and Monte Alén National Park in Equatorial Guinea. These parks help keep their habitat safe.