Montane Pinocchio frog facts for kids

The montane Pinocchio frog (Litoria vivissimia) is a special kind of frog that lives on the island of New Guinea. Scientists first found this frog on Hides Ridge, which is in the Southern Fold Mountains of Papua New Guinea. Just like another frog called the Pinocchio frog, this one has a unique point on its nose that can actually grow longer or shrink shorter!

The name vivissimia comes from Latin, and it means "cheeky monkey." This is a fun name for a frog with such a distinctive nose!

What Does It Look Like?

The adult male montane Pinocchio frog is quite small, growing to be about 2.9 centimeters long. That's less than an inch and a half! It has a light yellow-brown color with patches of light green. Its legs are even more yellow. The most noticeable feature is the spike on its nose. All of its toes are also webbed, which helps it move around.

Where Does It Live?

As of 2019, scientists have only seen the Litoria vivissimia once. They found it in a place called Central Cordillera in New Guinea. To learn more about this frog and its family, scientists used a special method called DNA barcoding. This helped them compare the montane Pinocchio frog to its relatives, like the parachuting frog and the Pinocchio frog.

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