Large headed forest treefrog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Large headed forest treefrog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Clade: | Leptopelis |
| Species: |
L. grandiceps
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| Binomial name | |
| Leptopelis grandiceps Ahl, 1929
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The Leptopelis grandiceps, also known as the large headed forest treefrog, is a small type of tree frog. Female frogs are thought to be bigger than males. These frogs live only in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. They prefer forests close to water.
This frog is related to L. barbouri and L. uluguruensis. It is listed as a Vulnerable animal on the IUCN Red List. This means its numbers are decreasing. The way L. grandiceps got its name has been a bit confusing for scientists.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Story of This Frog's Identity
The name of the Leptopelis grandiceps has a long and tricky history. This is mostly because frogs were renamed without scientists always looking at the actual frog specimens.
At first, some frogs were thought to be L. aubryi. Later, they were called a new species, L. barbouri. This happened even though the scientist who renamed them had never seen the frogs.
Later, more male frogs were added to the L. barbouri group. These males looked different from the females. Scientists wondered if this was because males and females look different, or if they were from different groups.
A study in 2014 found that the original female L. barbouri frogs were actually a different species, Leptopelis flavomaculatus. But the male frogs collected later were the same as other unnamed frogs.
The name L. grandiceps was first given to two frogs collected a long time ago. Eventually, L. grandiceps was thought to be the same as L.uluguruensis. This was also done without anyone actually looking at the frogs. It turns out these frogs were the same as the male frogs mentioned earlier. So, the name Leptopelis grandiceps was then used for these frogs.
As of October 2023, some important frog specimens are kept in museums. These include the male and female "type" specimens.
Where Do They Live? Habitat and Range
The L. grandiceps lives in the Eastern Arc Mountains and Southern Highlands. These areas are in Tanzania and Kenya. They make their homes in humid rainforests, both in the mountains and lower areas.
Scientists have suggested that until more detailed genetic tests are done, the name L. grandiceps should only be used for frogs in the East Usambara mountains. For frogs in other places, they suggest using L. cf. grandiceps. This helps show that these frogs might be slightly different.
What Do They Look Like? Physical Features
Adult L. grandiceps frogs are slender. They have pointed snouts and large heads. Their eardrum (tympanum) is quite small. It is about one-third to two-fifths the size of their eye.
Their toes are about half-webbed. They end with large, round pads on both their front and back feet. The skin of these frogs is a bright, see-through green. They have light-colored patches on their lower jaw. Sometimes, they also have small, light dots on their skin.
Male frogs are considered small, measuring about 30-33 millimeters. Females are medium-sized, at about 39-45 millimeters. Their heads are wider than they are long. They have large, bulging eyes. Their eyes are light-colored with orange spots and black lines.
The tadpoles of this frog have not yet been described by scientists.
How Do They Communicate? Sounds and Behavior
Male L. grandiceps frogs make mating calls from the tops of branches. They are usually found near streams. Their call is different from other similar frogs. It is described as a short buzzing sound.
These frogs have also been found buried in mud near streams. Only their heads were visible above the ground. They can live at high elevations, up to 2,100 meters (about 6,900 feet). They can also be found as low as 180 meters (about 590 feet).
How Do They Reproduce? Life Cycle and Breeding
Scientists once found a pair of these frogs mating just 10 meters (about 33 feet) from a small stream. Their heads were the only part visible as they were buried in the soft earth.
We don't know all the exact details of how L. grandiceps develops. However, it is thought that frogs living in mountain forests might lay their eggs on land. This is likely because mountain streams often flow very fast.
What We Still Don't Know
There is still much to learn about L. grandiceps. Scientists do not know what they eat. They also don't know what animals prey on them. Their lifespan is unknown, and we don't fully understand their role in the ecosystem.
Genomic Information
There are currently two genetic sequences available for L. grandiceps on GenBank. One is a partial sequence of the COI gene. The other is a partial sequence of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. These sequences help scientists study the frog's DNA.
 | Jewel Prestage |
 | Ella Baker |
 | Fannie Lou Hamer |
