Moaning frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moaning frog |
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The moaning frog (Heleioporus eyrei) is a special kind of frog. It lives underground in south-western Western Australia. This frog gets its name from the unique sound it makes!
What Does the Moaning Frog Look Like?
The moaning frog has a round body. It has a big head and large, round eyes. Its back is brown. It often has swirly patterns of white, grey, or yellow. The underside of its body is white.
This frog has smaller arms and legs. This is different from many other frogs that dig. Male moaning frogs do not have special bumps on their fingers. These bumps are called nuptial spines. Other frogs in the Heleioporus family usually have them.
Male moaning frogs can grow up to 6.6 centimeters (about 2.6 inches) long. Females are a little smaller. They can reach about 6.3 centimeters (about 2.5 inches).
Where Do Moaning Frogs Live?
Moaning frogs live along the coast of south-western Western Australia. You can also find them on Rottnest Island and Bald Island. They like to live in sandy swamps.
How Moaning Frogs Live and Reproduce
These frogs are great at digging. They dig burrows in the sand. These burrows keep them safe from animals that might eat them. They also protect the frogs from drying out in the sun.
Male moaning frogs call from inside their burrows. This is how they attract females. When a male and female mate, it happens inside the burrow. This process is called amplexus.
The female frog lays between 80 and 500 eggs. She puts them in a foamy mass. This foamy mass is at the bottom of the burrow. The eggs stay in this foam. They wait there until rain floods the burrow. Once the burrow fills with water, the eggs hatch. The tadpoles then grow in the water, just like other frog tadpoles.
