Gastrotheca trachyceps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gastrotheca trachyceps |
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Gastrotheca trachyceps is a special type of frog that belongs to the Hemiphractidae family. It is found only in a specific part of Colombia, in the Cauca Department. This frog is known from two main places: Cerro Munchique in the western mountains (called the Cordillera Occidental) and Vereda Santa Elena near Popayán in the central mountains (called the Cordillera Central). The name trachyceps comes from Greek and Latin words that mean "rough head," describing how its head looks. People also call it the Cerro Munchique marsupial frog because it was first found near Cerro Munchique.
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What Does It Look Like?
Adult male frogs are about 50 millimeters (2 inches) long. Adult female frogs are a bit bigger, ranging from 40 to 68 millimeters (1.5 to 2.7 inches) long. This measurement is called their snout–vent length, which is from their nose to their bottom.
Their head is a little wider than it is long. The snout (nose area) is rounded when you look from above, and flat when you look from the side. The tympanum (which is like their eardrum) is brown.
Their finger pads are much wider than their fingers. However, their toe pads are noticeably smaller than their finger pads. They don't have webbing between their fingers. Their toes are about one-third webbed, meaning there's some skin connecting them.
The back of the frog (called the dorsum) can be green or brown. It often has dark brown lines along its back or dark spots. There is usually a pale stripe along the sides of its back. A pale stripe is also often seen near its bottom. The sides of its body are brown or green. The groin area (where the legs meet the body) is blue with black spots. The belly (called the ventrum) is a pale creamy gray with dark spots.
Where Does It Live and How Is It Doing?
Gastrotheca trachyceps lives on plants and near streams inside forests. It can also be found at the edge of forests. These frogs live at high altitudes, from 2,170 to 2,768 meters (7,120 to 9,081 feet) above sea level.
They use bromeliad plants as safe hiding spots. They can also live in paramos (a type of grassland ecosystem) if there are bromeliads nearby. Sometimes, they are even found in pastures next to streams.
This frog is special because the female carries her eggs in a pouch on her back. She keeps them there until they hatch. This is why they are called "marsupial frogs."
Conservation Status
This frog species is only known from two locations. It used to be quite common at the place where it was first discovered (the type locality). However, recent searches have not found many of them.
The main place where they live is inside the Munchique National Park. But even there, growing certain crops illegally is causing their habitat to shrink. Spraying these crops with chemicals might also be harming the frogs.
The second group of these frogs was found in Vereda Santa Elena in 2005. But when scientists looked closely in 2016, they only found one frog. In this area, Gastrotheca trachyceps is in danger because people are planting many eucalyptus trees. The chemicals used on these tree farms also threaten the frogs.
See also
In Spanish: Gastrotheca trachyceps para niños
