Cophixalus balbus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cophixalus balbus |
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The Cophixalus balbus is a special kind of frog that belongs to the family called Microhylidae. Scientists think it might actually be part of another group of frogs called Oreophryne. You can find this frog in a few places, mainly on Yapen island in Papua Province, Indonesia. It also lives in the Hunstein Mountains, Bewani Mountains, and Torricelli Mountains in Papua New Guinea.
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What Does Its Name Mean?
The name balbus comes from Latin and means "stuttering". This is a really cool way to describe how this frog "sings"! Its special call starts with single notes that are spaced out. Then, the notes get closer together and come in groups, almost like the frog is stuttering.
What Does This Frog Look Like?
Cophixalus balbus frogs are small, but they are actually quite big compared to other frogs in their group. Adult males are about 26 to 28 millimeters long from their snout to their bottom. That's about the size of a small paperclip!
Their head is large and is as wide as it is long. These frogs are usually yellowish-brown. Their backs are covered with tiny bumps, like small warts. They also have a clear, dark grey mark on their shoulders that looks like the letter "W".
Where Do These Frogs Live and Are They Safe?
The Cophixalus balbus frog lives in both old (primary) and new (secondary) rainforests. On Yapen island, they are found in areas that are about 600 to 700 meters (or about 2,000 to 2,300 feet) above sea level. There might be some living at lower places too, but scientists aren't sure.
These frogs are often found sitting on fern leaves or on small bushes, sometimes as high as 3 meters (about 10 feet) off the ground. In New Guinea, they live in places that are 210 to 1,000 meters (about 690 to 3,280 feet) above sea level.
Good news! There are no known big dangers to this frog species right now.
See also
In Spanish: Cophixalus balbus para niños
