Dendropsophus garagoensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dendropsophus garagoensis |
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Hyla garagoensis Kaplan, 1991 |
The Garagoa treefrog (scientific name: Dendropsophus garagoensis) is a type of frog that belongs to the Hylidae family. This special frog lives only in one specific area: the eastern side of the Eastern Mountain Range in Boyacá Department, Colombia.
What's in a Name?
This frog is named after the town of Garagoa, Boyacá, where it was first found. The word "Garagoa" comes from the ancient Muysccubun language. It means "behind the hill" or "on the other side of the hill."
What Does It Look Like?
The Garagoa treefrog is quite small. Adult males are about 2.2 to 2.6 centimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring about 2.7 to 3.1 centimeters (1 to 1.2 inches) long. This measurement is from their snout to their rear end.
They have a large, wide head. Their snout looks rounded from the side. The frog's "ears," called the tympanum, are not very clear to see. There's a small fold of skin above them that hides part of the ear.
Their fingers are long and have round pads at the tips. They are partly webbed, which means there's some skin between them. Their toes are also long and have webbing, which helps them move around.
The top of their body and head is brown. Their sides are dark brown with cool bluish-white spots. They also have bright yellowish-greenish white stripes along their sides and above their mouth. Their belly is a dull brown color. The frog's eyes have an iris that is usually copper-colored, but sometimes it can be gold.
Young frogs, called tadpoles, are also interesting. Older tadpoles are about 4.6 centimeters (1.8 inches) long from head to tail. About one-third of this length is their body.
Where Do They Live?
The Garagoa treefrog lives in places like flooded fields, marshes, and temporary pools of water. You can find them in shrubs in these areas. They live at high altitudes, from about 2,000 to 2,570 meters (6,560 to 8,430 feet) above sea level.
Male frogs often call out to attract mates. They usually sit on plants like Juncus (a type of rush) about 20 to 50 centimeters (8 to 20 inches) above the water when they call.
Is This Frog Safe?
Good news! The Garagoa treefrog seems to be doing well. It can live even if its habitat changes a little bit. Scientists believe there are many of these frogs, and their numbers are stable. This means they are not currently facing big threats. However, they are not known to live in protected areas like national parks.
See also
In Spanish: Dendropsophus garagoensis para niños
