Linanit dwarf toad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Linanit dwarf toad |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Pelophryne |
| Species: |
P. linanitensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Pelophryne linanitensis Das, 2008
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| Pelophryne linanitensis is only known from the Mount Murud range in Malaysian Borneo | |
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The Linanit dwarf toad (Pelophryne linanitensis) is a tiny type of toad that belongs to the Bufonidae family. It is found only in a special place called Batu Linanit, which is part of Mount Murud in Sarawak, Borneo. This toad is very rare and is considered critically endangered.
What Does It Look Like?
The Linanit dwarf toad is a medium-sized toad for its group. Adult males are about 18 to 19 millimeters (less than an inch) long. This measurement is taken from their snout (nose) to their vent (bottom). We don't know how big the females are yet.
Its head is wider than it is long. The toad's snout looks straight up and down when you see it from the side. It has a clear eardrum, called a tympanum. However, it does not have the special skin folds or glands that some other toads have behind their eyes.
The toad's fingers are very short and thick. They have lots of webbing between them, like a duck's foot. Its toes are long and also almost fully webbed. The toad's back, or dorsum, is mostly brown. It has a faint, lighter brown pattern that looks a bit like an hourglass. Male toads have a special throat pouch, called a vocal sac, which they use to make calls.
Its Special Call
Male Linanit dwarf toads make a unique sound to attract mates. Their call sounds like a metallic "ping." They repeat this "ping" sound about 4 to 5 times in a row.
Where Does It Live?
Scientists first found this toad on the windy top of Batu Linanit. This area is about 2,250 meters (7,380 feet) above sea level. It is a rhododendron forest, which means it has many beautiful flowering shrubs.
The male toads were found calling from leaves. These leaves were only about 5 to 15 centimeters (2 to 6 inches) above the ground. The ground itself was covered with thick moss, fallen leaves, and roots.
Scientists are not sure where the toad's babies (larvae) live. However, they think the larvae might live inside the pitcher plants, called Nepenthes. This is because the male toads were found calling very close to these plants.
Why Is It Endangered?
The area where the Linanit dwarf toad lives is inside the Pulong Tau National Park. This park is supposed to protect nature. However, even inside the park, the toad's home is slowly being lost. This is called habitat loss.
Another big threat to this toad is climate change. Changes in the weather and temperature could make it harder for the toad to survive. This toad is likely a "summit specialist." This means it only lives in very high places, like mountain tops. Its home range is very small, probably only about 1 square kilometer (0.4 square miles). This makes it very vulnerable to any changes in its environment.
 | Valerie Thomas |
 | Frederick McKinley Jones |
 | George Edward Alcorn Jr. |
 | Thomas Mensah |
