Elegant frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elegant frog |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cophixalus
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| Species: |
concinnus
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The elegant frog or beautiful nursery-frog (Cophixalus concinnus) is a very rare type of frog. It is considered critically endangered, which means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever. This special frog lives in the Australian rainforests, high up in the mountains. You can usually find it hiding under logs or in piles of leaves on the forest floor. Its home area in Australia is quite small, less than 100 square kilometers.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
These elegant frogs have grey backs. They often have pale or orange patches on their skin. Their bellies can be white, yellow, or brown. These frogs are quite small, usually about 25 millimeters long. That's about the size of a large coin!
The elegant frog's skin feels smooth. Its fingers and toes have large pads, which help it grip surfaces. However, its toes are not webbed like some other frogs. When this frog calls, it sounds like a series of clicks or a rattling noise. This call can last for a few seconds.
Where Does It Live and What Does It Do?
The elegant frog lives in rainforests in Australia. It prefers areas high up in the mountains. You will usually find these frogs on the forest floor. They like to hide among the fallen leaves.
When it's time to find a mate, the male frogs make their calls from tree trunks, logs, and bushes. These frogs are "terrestrial breeders." This means they lay their eggs on land, not in water. They lay their eggs under rocks or logs where the soil is moist. The eggs are not colored and are laid in a string. A female frog usually lays between 1 and 50 eggs each year.
Why Is It Endangered?
The elegant frog is listed as critically endangered. This is because its living area is very small, less than 100 square kilometers. The actual space it occupies is even smaller, less than 10 square kilometers. All the known elegant frogs live in just one small area.
Scientists also predict that the number of adult elegant frogs will decrease. One big reason for this is global warming. This change in climate can harm their rainforest home. Other threats come from human activities in Australian National Parks. These include building walking tracks and other facilities for tourists. These developments can disturb the frog's sensitive habitat.
See also
In Spanish: Elegant Frog para niños
