Cerro Aracamuni emerald-barred frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cerro Aracamuni emerald-barred frog |
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| Ceuthomantis aracamuni is only known from Cerro Aracamuni, Venezuela | |
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The Ceuthomantis aracamuni, also known as the Cerro Aracamuni emerald-barred frog, is a small type of frog. It belongs to the frog family called Ceuthomantidae. This special frog lives only in one place: Cerro Aracamuni in southern Amazonas, Venezuela. This means it is endemic to that area.
What Does It Look Like?
Scientists have studied two of these frogs closely. The first one, called the holotype, was a young male. It was about 18 mm (0.7 in) long from its nose to its bottom. The second frog, called the paratype, was even smaller, about 14 mm (0.6 in) long.
This frog's head is wider than its body. Its snout (nose area) looks like an oval from above and is flat when seen from the side. It has clear eardrums, called tympanums. Its fingertips have wide, flat pads, which are bigger than the pads on its toes. This frog does not have any extra skin folds on its sides or webbing between its toes.
The frog's back, or dorsum, is yellowish-green with brown spots. Its legs are reddish-brown with green markings. It has a brick-red stripe near its eyes and an ochre-colored stripe above its eardrum. The frog's belly is dark brownish-black with white spots.
Where Does It Live?
The Cerro Aracamuni emerald-barred frog has only been found on Cerro Aracamuni. This mountain is about 1,493 m (4,898 ft) high. Scientists think this frog might also live on a nearby mountain called Cerro Avispa. These two mountains together could offer a large area for the frogs to live, especially on their slopes.
Cerro Aracamuni is a mountain made of granite rock. This is different from many other flat-topped mountains in the area, which are usually made of sandstone. The frogs were found on a patch of moss on a rocky slope. This was next to a small stream with dark, tea-colored water and a rocky bottom. The stream flowed through a short forest where the trees were only about 2.5 meters tall.
How Is It Protected?
The area where this frog lives is inside the Serranía de la Neblina National Park. This park helps protect the frog's home. The top of Cerro Aracamuni is also very remote and not disturbed by people.
However, there are some dangers to this frog. People are doing illegal mining at the base of the mountain. If this mining spreads higher up the mountain, or if the frogs live on the lower slopes, their homes could be destroyed. Climate change is also a possible threat to this frog, as it lives in a high-altitude area. Also, animals that live in only one small area can be easily harmed by new diseases.
See also
In Spanish: Ceuthomantis aracamuni para niños
