Corythomantis greeningi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corythomantis greeningi |
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The Corythomantis greeningi, also known as Greening's frog, is a special kind of frog. It is known for being venomous, which means it can inject a harmful substance. This frog lives only in eastern Brazil. It is found in a dry, thorny area called the Caatinga.
You can often spot this frog on plants like bromeliads or on rocky areas. When it's time to lay eggs, they use temporary streams. Even though its home is shrinking, experts don't think it's in danger of disappearing. The frog's name, greeningi, honors Linnaeus Greening. He was an English businessman and naturalist who studied animals like spiders, reptiles, and amphibians.
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Meet Greening's Frog
This unique frog has some interesting features. Female Corythomantis greeningi can grow to about 87 millimeters (3.4 inches) long. Males are a bit smaller, reaching about 71 millimeters (2.8 inches).
Their heads are narrow with bony ridges behind their eyes. They also have a long, flat snout with tiny spines. Their bodies are thin and covered with small bumps, like warts. Their legs are also slender. Their fingers and toes have strong sticky pads, which help them climb. These frogs are usually light brown or gray. They have red or brown spots all over their bodies. Female frogs are often darker than males.
Where Does This Frog Live?
The Corythomantis greeningi lives only in northeastern Brazil. Its home range stretches south to the northern part of the Minas Gerais state. It prefers a type of environment called the caatinga. This is a dry area with lots of shrubs and thorny trees.
The caatinga has a short rainy season, lasting about three months. The rest of the year is a long, hot, and dry season. This frog has learned to survive in this tough environment.
How This Frog Survives
To stay safe and moist, the Corythomantis greeningi hides. It might choose a hollow in a tree, a crack in a rock, or even a bromeliad plant. In a lab, one female frog even used a test tube as a hiding spot. She sealed the opening with her head!
When the rainy season begins, streams and channels fill with water. Male frogs then claim areas near these water sources. They call out to attract female frogs. A female can lay hundreds of eggs. She attaches them to a rock in the water.
Special Adaptations
This frog has amazing ways to live in its dry home. Its head is rough and flat. The skin on its head is even joined to its skull, forming a hard helmet. This helps the frog defend itself by blocking the entrance to its hiding spot with its head. This behavior is called phragmosis.
The frog has also changed its life cycle to fit its environment. It has tough, waterproof skin that helps it save water. It also has a low basal metabolic rate. This means its body uses less energy, which helps reduce water loss through breathing.
Unlike some frogs that just have poison on their skin, this frog is different. It has skull spines that can inject venom. It uses its head to "headbutt" other animals or even human hands. This is a defense tactic it shares with another frog, Aparasphenodon brunoi.
Frog Secretions
The frog's skin produces special liquids. These liquids contain natural chemicals. In lab tests, these chemicals caused pain and swelling in mouse cells. They also stopped the growth of some cells. In the wild, these chemicals are a powerful way for the frog to protect itself from animals that might try to eat it.
Is This Frog Safe?
The Corythomantis greeningi lives in a wide area and is a common species. There are many of these frogs in total. However, it does face some challenges. Its home is being lost because of farm animals eating plants and people growing crops. Wildfires are also a threat.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has looked at this frog's situation. They have decided it is a "least concern" species. This means they don't think its population is shrinking fast enough to be in a more serious danger category right now.
