Cophixalus zweifeli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cophixalus zweifeli |
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The Cophixalus zweifeli is a small frog that belongs to the Microhylidae family. It is also known as Zweifel's frog. This special frog lives only in northern Queensland, Australia. You can find it in the Cape Melville National Park. It was named after an American scientist who studied reptiles and amphibians, Richard G. Zweifel.
This frog is one of five types of Cophixalus frogs in northeast Australia. These frogs are unique because they live in places with lots of big rocks, called boulder fields.
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What Does Zweifel's Frog Look Like?
Adult male Zweifel's frogs are about 3.6 to 3.8 centimeters (about 1.4 to 1.5 inches) long. Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring about 4.0 to 4.9 centimeters (about 1.6 to 1.9 inches) long. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (bottom).
Their snout is long and looks flat when you look at it from above. It sticks out a little from the side. The frog has a large eardrum, called a tympanum, but it's hard to see from the top.
The tips of their fingers and toes are wide and flat, like little discs. The finger discs are much bigger than the toe discs. Their back is tan (light brown) with some darker brown spots. They also have a dark stripe that runs from the tip of their snout past their eardrum.
When male frogs want to attract a mate, they make a special sound. It's a high-pitched "yelp" that sounds like many tiny pulses put together.
Where Does Zweifel's Frog Live?
Zweifel's frogs live in areas with lots of boulders (big rocks). These areas are usually next to or inside rainforests. They are nocturnal, which means they are active at night.
Male frogs often call from on top of boulders on the ground. The first frogs of this species ever found were in a rocky area near a creek. They were found at the bottom of rocks and on a rock in the creek. This was at an elevation of about 40 to 80 meters (about 130 to 260 feet) above sea level.
Another type of frog, the Blotched boulder-frog (Cophixalus petrophilus), lives in the same area. However, the Blotched boulder-frog prefers rocky areas with very few plants. Zweifel's frog, on the other hand, likes boulders that are under or very close to rainforests.
Protecting Zweifel's Frog
In the past, cutting down trees (logging) was a problem for these frogs. It destroyed their homes. Today, a bigger worry is that more people are visiting Cape Melville National Park. When more people visit, it can damage the frog's habitat. Protecting their rocky, rainforest homes is important for these unique frogs to survive.
See also
In Spanish: Cophixalus zweifeli para niños
