Copper-cheeked frog
Quick facts for kids Copper-cheeked frog |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chalcorana
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| Species: |
raniceps
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| Synonyms | |
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The copper-cheeked frog (scientific name: Chalcorana raniceps) is a type of "true frog." It belongs to the Ranidae family. This frog is also called the white-lipped frog or Peters' Malaysian frog. It lives only on the island of Borneo. This includes parts of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia (Kalimantan), and Malaysia (Sarawak). Scientists once thought it lived in many more places. But in 2009, they confirmed its home is mainly Borneo.
What Does It Look Like?
Copper-cheeked frogs are quite small. Adult males are about 28 to 34 millimeters long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring 33 to 42 millimeters. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (where waste leaves the body).
Most of these frogs are green. Some might have a brown back. Their snout is long and comes to a point. They have special sticky pads on their finger and toe tips. These pads help them climb. The skin under their thighs might be reddish. This frog looks like another species, Chalcorana megalonesa, but it is much smaller.
The baby frogs, called tadpoles, are easy to spot. They have dark marks and red gills. Their bodies are light brown to yellow. Scientists think these tadpoles might have something that makes them taste bad to animals that try to eat them.
Where Does It Live?
The copper-cheeked frog lives in many types of rainforests. These include both old, untouched forests and newer, regrowing forests. They live in low-lying areas.
These frogs lay their eggs and grow their young in water. They use ponds, streams that sometimes dry up, and calm pools next to streams. Male frogs call out to attract mates. They do this in small groups. They usually sit on twigs and plants about 0.5 to 1.5 meters above the ground.
