Limnonectes palavanensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Limnonectes palavanensis |
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| Limnonectes palavanensis from the Crocker Range, Borneo | |
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Rana palavanensis Boulenger, 1894 |
The Limnonectes palavanensis, also known as the smooth guardian frog or Palawan wart frog, is a special type of frog. It belongs to the Dicroglossidae family. You can find this frog on Palawan Island in the Philippines. It also lives on the island of Borneo, which includes parts of Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. What makes this frog really interesting is that the fathers take care of their babies, which is quite rare for frogs!
What Does the Smooth Guardian Frog Look Like?
Male smooth guardian frogs are about 30 mm (1.2 in) long. Females are a bit bigger, growing to about 40 mm (1.6 in) from their nose to their rear end. These frogs have a V-shaped bump between their shoulders. They also have a clear line across their head that separates the front part from the back. Young frogs often have a stripe down their back. Sometimes, this stripe stays even when they grow up.
The baby frogs, called tadpoles, are quite flat. Their tail is twice as long as their body. The fin on their tail is not very tall and ends in a pointy tip.
Life Cycle and Parenting
The male smooth guardian frog is a very caring dad. He guards the eggs after the female lays them on the ground. Once the tadpoles hatch, the male carries them on his back. He then takes them to water, like a small pool or stream, where they can continue to grow. This kind of paternal care is not common among frogs.
Where They Live and How They're Protected
These frogs live in forests. You can find them in forests that are in lower mountains and flat areas. The tadpoles need water to grow. They usually develop in small pools of rainwater or in calm parts of tiny, slow-moving streams.
Most of the places where this frog lives are well protected. This helps keep their homes safe. However, their habitat could still be harmed if too many trees are cut down. The smooth guardian frog lives in places like the Crocker Range National Park, which helps protect them.
