Independencia robber frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Independencia robber frog |
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The Eleutherodactylus parabates is a small frog. It is also known as the Independencia robber frog or the Neiba whistling frog. This frog belongs to the Eleutherodactylidae family.
You can only find this frog on the island of Hispaniola. It lives in the mountains of the Sierra de Neiba. This area is close to the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The name parabates means "transgressor" in Greek. This name was chosen because it was the first frog of its kind found north of a specific valley.
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What Does This Frog Look Like?
Female Eleutherodactylus parabates frogs are about 22–24 mm (0.87–0.94 in) long. That's about the size of a large paperclip! Male frogs are a bit smaller, around 18 mm (0.7 in) long. They have a rather pointed snout.
Their eardrum, called the tympanum, is quite large. Their fingers and toes have small, round pads, but they do not have webbing between them.
The frog's back has a brown stripe. This stripe goes from its nose all the way to its back legs. Some frogs might have a lighter tan line down the middle of this stripe. The brown stripe is separated from the darker sides by a faint tan line. Their lips have a mixed pattern of colors. The throat and belly are yellowish-tan with many brown spots.
Where Does This Frog Live?
The Eleutherodactylus parabates lives in high mountains. It can be found at heights between 1,455–1,870 m (4,774–6,135 ft) above sea level. It prefers dense, closed hardwood forests.
You can often find these frogs hiding. They like to be under rocks and logs. They also live inside bromeliad plants that grow on trees.
Life Cycle
This frog has a special way of reproducing. The female frogs lay their eggs on the ground. The eggs then develop directly into tiny frogs. This means there is no tadpole stage that lives in water. The baby frogs hatch looking like miniature adults.
Protecting This Special Frog
The Eleutherodactylus parabates can be quite common in places where it has good habitat. It was last seen in 2019. However, the forests where this frog lives are shrinking quickly. This is a big problem for the frogs.
This frog lives inside the Parque Nacional Sierra de Neiba, which is a national park. Even though it's a park, the forest habitat there is still being lost. Protecting these forests is very important to keep the Independencia robber frog safe.
See also
In Spanish: Eleutherodactylus parabates para niños
