Emei moustache toad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Emei moustache toad |
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| Leptobrachium boringii male | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leptobrachium
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| Species: |
boringii
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| Synonyms | |
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Vibrissaphora boringii Liu, 1945 |
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Leptobrachium boringii, commonly known as the Emei moustache toad or Taosze spiny toad, is a species of amphibian in the family Megophryidae. It is endemic to China where it is found in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Hunan provinces. "Emei" or "Taosze" in its common names refer to its type locality, Taosze on Mount Emei, Sichuan. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, grassland, arable land, and rural gardens near rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Reproductive behaviour and strategies
Male Leptobrachium boringii exhibit conspicuous keratinized nuptial spines that grow on their upper lip during the breeding season—these are the "moustache" and "spines" referred to in its common names. Moreover, male Leptobrachium boringii are larger, on average 75 mm (3.0 in) in snout-vent length, than females, which are on average 67 mm (2.6 in) in SVL (female-biased sexual size dimorphism is more common in frogs). These unusual features seem to relate to male–male combat for best breeding territories and/or female preference for larger males.
