Lichen bush frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lichen bush frog |
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Philautus nerostagona Biju & Bossuyt, 2005 |
The Lichen Bush Frog (scientific name: Raorchestes nerostagona) is a special type of frog that lives only in the Western Ghats mountains of India. It's also known as the Kalpetta yellow bush frog. This frog is super good at hiding! Its skin looks like patchy lichen, which helps it blend in perfectly with tree trunks. Scientists first found this frog in 2005 near a place called Kalpetta. Since then, they've found it in many other parts of the Western Ghats. You can find these frogs living high up in the mountains, usually between 900 and 1200 meters above sea level.
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What's in a Name?
When scientists first discovered this frog, they put it in a group called Philautus. Later, they moved it to a different group called Raorchestes. The frog's scientific name, nerostagona, comes from two Greek words: nero meaning "water" and stagona meaning "drop". This name describes the frog's unique call. It sounds just like a raindrop falling into water!
Like other frogs in the Raorchestes group, this frog likely has a special way of growing up. Instead of laying eggs that hatch into tadpoles, their eggs are thought to develop directly into tiny froglets inside the eggshell. This means they skip the tadpole stage completely!
What Does It Look Like?
The Lichen Bush Frog is quite small, growing to about 3 to 3.5 centimeters long (that's about the length of your thumb!). Its skin has little bumps and textures, making it look rough, just like lichen or moss on a tree trunk. This helps it stay hidden from predators.
One special thing about this frog is its feet. It has webbing between all its fingers and fully webbed toes. It also has a small fringe of skin along the outer edges of its front and back legs. Its tongue has a pointed tip.
Sounds of the Forest
These frogs make their calls from high up in the trees. Their call is a high-pitched "pluck" sound. It really does sound like a single raindrop falling into a bucket of water! They repeat this sound about every 3 to 4 seconds. Because of this unique sound, some people also call it the "water droplet call canopy bush frog."
Where Does It Live and Why Is It in Danger?
The Lichen Bush Frog lives in the Wayanad district of the Western Ghats, especially in places like Mananthavady, Sultan Battery, and Kalpetta. You can hear their calls easily during the rainy season. They prefer to live high up in the canopy of evergreen forests. Female frogs lay about 40 eggs at a time, often in holes found in trees.
Sadly, this frog is considered vulnerable to extinction. This means it's at risk of disappearing forever. Its home is being destroyed by human activities. People are cutting down forests to build roads, for logging (cutting trees for wood), and for farming or grazing animals. Even illegal tree harvesting is a problem.
Climate change is another big threat. Changes in weather patterns and temperatures could make it harder for these frogs to survive. Scientists have also found a dangerous fungus called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on other frogs in the same group. This fungus causes a disease called chytridiomycosis, which can be deadly for frogs. It's possible this fungus could also infect the Lichen Bush Frog.
