Indosylvirana temporalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bronzed frog |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Indosylvirana
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| Species: |
temporalis
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| Synonyms | |
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Rana temporalis Günther, 1864 |
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The bronzed frog (also known as Günther's golden-backed frog) is a type of true frog. You can find it in the wet evergreen forests of southwestern Sri Lanka. These frogs live near water, often on the ground. They are not easily scared and only jump away if you bother them. Many snakes, like the vine snake, like to eat them. Some frogs in India that look similar used to be thought of as the same species. But scientists found they were different in 2014.
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What Does the Bronzed Frog Look Like?
The bronzed frog has a flat, triangular head. Its snout is pointed and sticks out a bit. It has clear eardrums (called tympanum) that are about the same size as its eyes.
Its fingers and toes are medium-sized. The first finger is longer than the second. Its toes are almost completely webbed, which helps them swim. The tips of their fingers and toes are wide and flat, like small disks.
The frog's skin is smooth or slightly bumpy on top. It has a thin, raised line on each side of its body. The top of the frog is brown. The sides of its head and body are dark brown. You might also see a white stripe along its upper lip. Its legs have dark stripes across them. The belly is usually white. The throat and chest often have small brown spots.
Male frogs have special vocal sacs inside their mouths. These help them make loud calls. They also have flat glands on the inside of their arms. During the breeding season, males grow a strong, velvety pad on their first finger. This pad helps them hold onto the female during mating.
Why is it Called the Bronzed Frog?
The common name "bronzed frog" comes from special bronze-colored stripes. These stripes appear on either side of the lower jaw. They show up about a week after the tadpoles change into froglets.
This species has been called by many different names over time. Scientists sometimes change names as they learn more about animals.
Where Do Bronzed Frogs Live?
The bronzed frog is found only in Sri Lanka. They mostly live along the edges of rocky streams. You can often see them sitting on flat rocks or stones. If something scares them, they will leap into the water. They can jump quite a long distance!
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Bronzed frogs usually breed along the edges of gently flowing streams. They also breed in small pools of still water near streams. The tadpoles are a muddy color, which helps them blend in with the stream bottom. Their mouths are shaped to help them graze on things at the bottom.
If the water is always there, tadpoles might take longer to change. This can be 3 to 4 months. This longer time helps them grow bigger and stronger before becoming froglets.
Breeding Season
The breeding season for bronzed frogs runs from August to May. Male frogs start making their mating calls in the evening. They usually call from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Female frogs lay eggs in groups called clutches. Each clutch can have 800 to 1200 eggs. The eggs are slightly green. They are usually laid at the edges of rocky pools.
Growth and Development
Bronzed frog tadpoles appear in streams from October to March. When they change into froglets, they are about 11 to 14 millimeters long. They weigh about 0.10 to 0.17 grams. It takes about 90 to 120 days for a tadpole to become a froglet.
The top of the tadpoles can be muddy green, white, yellowish, or olive brown. Their sides are usually muddy. They have triangular snouts. They have one breathing hole (called a spiracle) on their left side. The tail fin is clear and pointed. It has some muscles and slight color. The top part of the tail fin is taller than the bottom part.
Tadpoles have blunt teeth. They have a special yellowish-brown stripe on their back. This stripe runs from their snout to the end of their body. A black stripe runs along their sides. After they change into froglets, small bronze-colored stripes appear on their lower jaw. These stripes are broken below their front legs.
How Density and Family Affect Growth
How many frogs are in one place can affect their growth. This is true for many frogs, including the bronzed frog. If there are too many frogs, they grow slower. They also become smaller adults. So, more frogs in an area means slower growth and smaller sizes.
Being with family members (kin) or non-family members also affects growth. Tadpoles grew much better when they were with their brothers and sisters. This was true whether they were crowded or not. Also, frogs in groups of only family members were more similar in size. In mixed groups, there was a wider range of sizes.
Bronzed Frog Behavior
After the heavy monsoon rains in June, many frog species breed. They lay eggs in temporary ponds and puddles. This means many frogs are competing for food and space. They also face more predators. So, choosing the right small area (microhabitat) is very important for frogs.
Choosing a Microhabitat
Bronzed frog tadpoles have mouths on their underside. This means they mostly stay on the bottom of the stream. They are found in greater numbers at night than during the day.
Social Grouping
Bronzed frog tadpoles tend to gather together in groups. Scientists are still studying why they do this and what it means.
Recognizing Family
Many animals, from insects to mammals, can recognize their family members. Bronzed frogs also show this behavior. It seems to help them grow better. Tadpoles grow more when they are with their siblings than with other frogs.
Finding Food
The idea of "ideal free distribution" means animals spread out to find food. They do this so that everyone gets a fair share. Bronzed frog tadpoles show this behavior when they look for food. This is true whether they are with family or not. This matches how they live in groups in nature.
How They Sense Food
Bronzed frog tadpoles find food using chemical signals. They do not rely on sight to find food. This shows that their sense of smell or taste is more important than their vision for finding food.
See also
In Spanish: Indosylvirana temporalis para niños
- Indosylvirana aurantiaca, the golden frog
- Hylarana malabarica, the fungoid frog
