Guacharaquita glass frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guacharaquita glass frog |
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Centrolenella pallida Rivero, 1985 |
The Guacharaquita glass frog (scientific name: Hyalinobatrachium pallidum) is a tiny, special frog. People in Spanish-speaking areas sometimes call it ranita de cristal pálida, which means "pale crystal frog." It belongs to a group of frogs called Centrolenidae, known as "glass frogs." This is because some of them have clear skin on their bellies, letting you see their insides!
This frog lives only in Venezuela, which means it is endemic there. It was first found in a place called Guacharaquita, between La Grita and Páramo de La Negra in the Táchira state. It has also been seen in the Sierra de Perijá in the Zulia state. These frogs live in mountains, usually between 1,132–1,832 m (3,714–6,010 ft) asl. There might also be some in San Isidro in the Barinas state, but this needs to be confirmed.
What Does It Look Like?
These small frogs are about the size of your thumb! Male Guacharaquita glass frogs are usually between 21.2–25.0 mm (0.83–0.98 in) long from their snout to their bottom. Females are a bit bigger, measuring about 23.0–24.8 mm (0.91–0.98 in).
One cool thing about them is their pericardium, which is the sac around their heart. It looks light golden! Many of these frogs, especially those from the Sierra de Perijá, have small, dark spots on their backs, heads, and legs. These spots are usually black and look a bit irregular.
Where Does It Live?
In the Sierra de Perijá, the Guacharaquita glass frog used to be very common. They were found near small, fast-moving streams. These streams were surrounded by primary cloud forest, which is an old, untouched forest with lots of mist and clouds. The areas near the streams had plenty of plants.
They were less common in places where the forest had been changed. For example, they were scarce near small streams in secondary forest, which is a forest that has grown back after being cut down. These areas also had shaded coffee farms.
Protecting This Frog
In 2004, experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) looked at the Guacharaquita glass frog. They thought the population in Guacharaquita was almost gone. This was mainly because of habitat loss, meaning the places where they live were being destroyed.
However, some scientists, like Rojas-Runjaic and his team, think we should check on this frog again. They believe the frog might live in more places than we knew back in 2004. This wider distribution could mean its conservation status needs to be re-evaluated. Protecting their forest homes is very important for these unique glass frogs to survive!
