Craugastor fleischmanni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Craugastor fleischmanni |
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Hylodes fleischmanni Boettger, 1892 |
The Craugastor fleischmanni is a special type of frog that belongs to the Craugastoridae family. It's also known as Fleischmann's robber frog. This frog is found only in Costa Rica, which means it is endemic to that country. You can find it in different parts of Costa Rica, including the Meseta Central and the slopes of volcanoes like Barva, Poás Volcano, Irazú, and Turrialba Volcano. It also lives in the Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range.
About the Name
The second part of the frog's scientific name, fleischmanni, was chosen to honor Carl Fleischmann. He was a collector who worked in Costa Rica in the 1890s and helped discover many species.
What It Looks Like
Male Fleischmann's robber frogs can grow up to 45 millimeters (about 1.8 inches) long. Females are larger, reaching about 72 millimeters (about 2.8 inches) in length. Adult males have special features like vocal slits, which they use to make calls, and nuptial pads, which help them hold onto females during mating.
Where It Lives and Why It's Rare
This frog naturally lives in wet forests found in mountains, at elevations from 1,050 to 2,286 meters (about 3,445 to 7,500 feet) above sea level. It likes to stay near streams in both untouched forests and areas that have been slightly changed by humans.
Unlike many frogs, Craugastor fleischmanni does not have a tadpole stage. Instead, its babies develop directly from eggs into tiny frogs. This happens right at the edges of streams.
Sadly, the number of these frogs dropped a lot in the late 1900s. Scientists searched for them for many years (from 1987 to 2009) but couldn't find any. Then, in 2010, a single frog was seen near the Rio Ciruelas river. Since 2013, no more frogs have been officially seen.
Scientists are not completely sure why these frogs are disappearing. It might be because of a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis, which affects amphibians worldwide. Climate change could also be a reason. Historically, these frogs lived in protected places like the Tapantí National Park.
See Also
- In Spanish: Craugastor fleischmanni para niños
