Canchaque robber frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canchaque robber frog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Strabomantidae |
| Genus: | Pristimantis |
| Species: |
P. rhodoplichus
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| Binomial name | |
| Pristimantis rhodoplichus (Duellman and Wild, 1993)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Canchaque robber frog (scientific name: Pristimantis rhodoplichus) is a type of frog that belongs to the Strabomantidae family. You can find this special frog in the Andes mountains, specifically in southern Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe Province) and northern Peru (Department of Piura). Its scientific name, rhodoplichus, comes from Greek words meaning "rose" or "red" and "inside of the thigh." This name describes the pretty rose-red color found on the hidden parts of its legs.
What Does the Canchaque Robber Frog Look Like?
Adult male Canchaque robber frogs are about 22 to 29 millimeters (0.8 to 1.1 inches) long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring 30 to 34 millimeters (1.1 to 1.3 inches) from snout to vent. Their snout looks pointed from above but rounded from the side. They have a clear eardrum, called a tympanum.
Their fingers have small ridges along the sides and oval-shaped pads at the tips. Their toes also have ridges and pads, which are a little smaller than those on their fingers. The skin on their back feels rough and bumpy. The color of their back can be reddish-tan to dark brown. Some frogs might even have pale stripes along their sides. The area around their groin and the hidden parts of their thighs are a lovely rose-red color. Their belly can be dull white, beige, bronze, or brown. Male frogs have a large vocal sac under their throat, which they use to make calls.
Where Does This Frog Live and Is It Safe?
The Canchaque robber frog lives in thick, wet mountain and cloud forests. These forests are found at high elevations, from about 2,770 to 3,100 meters (9,088 to 10,170 feet) above sea level. Scientists have found these frogs at night on low plants. During the day, they hide under things on the ground.
These frogs have a special way of breeding called direct development. This means their eggs hatch directly into tiny frogs, without a tadpole stage that lives in water. We don't know if this frog can survive in areas where its home has been damaged.
Sadly, the Canchaque robber frog is threatened by habitat loss. This happens when forests are cut down, mainly for farming (especially raising livestock) and for getting wood. This frog is known to live in two protected areas: the Podocarpus National Park and the Tapichala Biological Reserve, both in Ecuador.
 | Audre Lorde |
 | John Berry Meachum |
 | Ferdinand Lee Barnett |
