Dendropsophus aperomeus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dendropsophus aperomeus |
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Hyla aperomea Duellman, 1982 |
The Dendropsophus aperomeus is a small frog that belongs to the Hylidae family, also known as the tree frog family. This special frog lives only in Peru. You can find it on the Amazonian side of the Andes mountains, in northern and central parts of the country. People sometimes call it the Balzapata treefrog.
What Does It Look Like?
These frogs are quite slender. Adult males are about 19 to 21 millimeters (0.7 to 0.8 inches) long. Females are a bit bigger, with one known female measuring 25 millimeters (1 inch) long. This measurement is taken from the tip of their snout to their rear end.
Their head is wider than their body. The snout, which is their nose area, looks rounded from above. From the side, it looks flat or cut off.
The frog has a small tympanum, which is like its eardrum. It's hard to see because a small fold of skin, called the supratympanic fold, covers the top part of it.
Their fingers are short and have round, sticky pads on the ends. These pads help them climb. Their fingers are about half-webbed. Their toes are a bit longer and also have sticky pads, but these are slightly smaller than the finger pads. Their toes are about three-quarters webbed, which means they have more webbing between them.
The back of the frog, called the dorsum, can be yellowish-tan, light brown, or reddish-brown. It often has a pattern of gray-brown blotches and shiny golden spots. Their belly is white. They also have a white stripe above their rear end. Their thighs are orange-tan to orange-yellow. Male frogs have a pale yellow vocal sac, which they use to make calls.
Where It Lives and How It's Protected
The Dendropsophus aperomeus lives in forests found in the foothills of mountains. It also lives in partly cleared cloud forests. These areas are high up, between 1,330 and 1,850 meters (4,360 to 6,070 feet) above sea level.
Young frogs, called tadpoles, likely grow up in still water. This could be small puddles or temporary pools. For example, some frogs were found on a plant about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above a temporary pool. Others were found on low plants on a slope near a pond.
Scientists believe this frog is quite common. However, new farms and buildings could be a problem for its home. Luckily, this species has been found in some protected areas. It might also live in several other protected places, which helps keep it safe.
See also
In Spanish: Dendropsophus aperomeus para niños
