Cophixalus parkeri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cophixalus parkeri |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Cophixalus variegatus parkeri Loveridge, 1948 |
Cophixalus parkeri is a small type of frog. It belongs to the Microhylidae family, which includes many tiny frogs. This frog lives only in Papua New Guinea. You can find it in the central mountains, between the Chimbu and Morobe Province areas.
The name parkeri was given to honor Hampton Wildman Parker. He was an English zoologist and expert on reptiles and amphibians. This frog is also known by a common name: the Papua rainforest frog.
Contents
Frog Names in Papua New Guinea
In the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea, people have special names for these frogs. An adult C. parkeri is called kabanm. Younger frogs, which are not yet fully grown, are called lk (pronounced 'lik').
What Does This Frog Look Like?
This frog is quite small. It can grow up to about 31 millimeters (1.2 inches) long from its snout to its rear end. Its snout, or nose area, is slightly pointed.
The frog has clear eardrums, called a tympanum. These eardrums are about half the size of its eye. The ridge between its eye and snout, known as the canthus rostralis, is sharp.
Its fingers have large, sticky pads called discs. Its toes also have sticky pads, but they are a bit smaller. The toes are not webbed, meaning there's no skin between them. The frog's skin is smooth, but it has small bumps called tubercles.
Some of these frogs have a pale band between their eyes. However, most C. parkeri frogs do not show this band. Most frogs have a dark brown back, or dorsum. This dark color changes sharply to a lighter reddish-tan color on their sides, called flanks. The underside of the frog is usually mottled. This means it has dark gray spots on a light tan background. Sometimes, the underside can be almost one solid color.
Male frogs have a special pouch under their throat, called a gular vocal sac. They use this sac to make calls. The male frog's call is a group of short, buzzing sounds. It usually has about four notes.
Where Do These Frogs Live?
Cophixalus parkeri lives in montane rainforests. These are forests found in mountainous areas. It also lives at the edges of these forests. These frogs are found at high elevations, from about 2,200 to 2,650 meters (7,200 to 8,700 feet) above sea level.
At night, you can find these frogs in plants up to one meter (about three feet) above the ground. During the day, they hide in the leaf litter on the forest floor. These frogs reproduce through something called direct development. This means their eggs hatch directly into tiny froglets. There is no free-swimming tadpole stage.
Conservation Status
This frog species lives in a remote area. Because of this, it is not likely to be in danger. It is not known to live in any protected areas.
See also
In Spanish: Cophixalus parkeri para niños
Images for kids
-
Map showing where Cophixalus parkeri lives in Papua New Guinea.
