Counou robber frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Counou robber frog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Eleutherodactylidae |
| Genus: | Eleutherodactylus |
| Species: |
E. counouspeus
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| Binomial name | |
| Eleutherodactylus counouspeus Schwartz, 1964
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| Synonyms | |
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The Eleutherodactylus counouspeus, also known as the Counou robber frog or yellow cave frog, is a type of frog. It belongs to the Eleutherodactylidae family. This frog is found only in one specific area, the Massif de la Hotte in southwestern Haiti. When scientists named it, they chose counouspeus because it was first found in Counou Bois Cave. The word speus means "cave" in Greek. In 2008, some scientists suggested this frog was so unique that it should have its own special group, called Schwartzius. They named this group after Albert Schwartz, who studied many animals in the West Indies.
Contents
What Does the Counou Robber Frog Look Like?
Eleutherodactylus counouspeus is a fairly large frog for its kind.
- Male frogs can grow up to 48 mm (1.9 in) long.
- Female frogs can be even bigger, up to 57 mm (2.2 in) long.
- Their snout (the front of their head) is flat.
- They have a clear, oval-shaped eardrum, called a tympanum.
- Their fingers and toes have special pads, called digital discs, that help them grip.
- Their fingers do not have webbing, but their toes have a little bit of webbing.
- The back of the frog (its dorsum) can be greenish-yellow or tan.
- It often has black or gray marks.
- These marks can include a bar between its eyes.
- Sometimes there is a cross-shaped blotch on its shoulders.
- Its legs have faint dark-gray spots.
- The throat is yellowish-green with many brownish spots.
- The belly is pinkish with some yellow-green and brown speckles.
- Male frogs have a vocal sac on the outside, which they use to make calls.
Where Do Counou Robber Frogs Live and How Are They Protected?
The Counou robber frog lives in limestone caves and cracks in rocks. These places are usually found in thick, wet forests. They can live at heights from 303–1,200 m (994–3,937 ft) above sea level. They can also be found in forests that have been disturbed by humans.
How Do They Have Babies?
These frogs lay their eggs inside caves. Their eggs develop directly into tiny frogs. This means there is no tadpole stage that lives freely in water.
Protecting the Frogs
The Counou robber frog is quite common, but its home is shrinking. This is called habitat loss.
- The frog lives in Pic Macaya National Park. However, this park does not have active programs to protect the frogs. So, their habitat continues to shrink there.
- It also lives in Grand Bois National Park. This park is better managed, which helps protect the frogs.
 | James B. Knighten |
 | Azellia White |
 | Willa Brown |
