Myersiella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Myersiella |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Microhylidae |
| Subfamily: | Gastrophryninae |
| Genus: | Myersiella A. L. Carvalho, 1954 |
| Species: |
M. microps
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| Binomial name | |
| Myersiella microps |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Myersiella microps is a unique type of frog that lives only in southeastern Brazil. It belongs to a group of frogs called Myersiella, which has only this one species. This frog is sometimes called the Rio elongated frog because of its shape and where it lives. Scientists named the genus Myersiella after a person named George S. Myers.
Contents
About the Myersiella Frog
How Scientists Classify Frogs
Scientists group living things into categories. Myersiella is a special group, or genus, of frogs. Myersiella microps is the only known species in this group. Early on, scientists studied the bones of these frogs to understand their family tree. Later, they used DNA information to confirm that Myersiella is a distinct group.
What the Myersiella Frog Looks Like
Size and Features
These frogs are quite small! Adult male Myersiella microps are usually about 20 to 25 millimeters (less than an inch) long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring from 25 to 46 millimeters. This measurement is taken from their snout (nose) to their vent (where waste leaves the body).
The Myersiella microps has a very tiny head with a pointy snout. Its eyes are also very small. You can't see its eardrum, which is called a tympanum. Its legs are short and strong. Its fingers and toes are round, and they do not have any webbing between them.
Color and Sounds
These frogs are usually a dark grey color, like lead, with light brown spots on their belly. Male frogs have black throats.
Male Myersiella microps make a special sound to attract mates. It's a long, high-pitched call that sounds like a single note. The sound is mostly between 2.4 and 2.6 kilohertz.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The Myersiella microps has a unique way of developing. Unlike many frogs that lay eggs that hatch into tadpoles, these frogs have what is called direct development. This means their babies grow directly into tiny frogs inside the eggs, without a free-swimming tadpole stage!
Where the Myersiella Frog Lives and What It Eats
Habitat
Myersiella microps frogs live in both old and new forests. You can find them in areas below 1,100 meters (about 3,600 feet) in elevation. They like to hide in the leaves on the forest floor. You might also find them under fallen tree trunks or rocks.
Ecology and Diet
Male frogs have been seen calling out from the forest floor, especially when it's raining. The eggs, which contain the developing froglets, are laid and grow in the leaf litter on the ground. These frogs have a specific diet: they mostly eat ants.
Protecting the Myersiella Frog
The Myersiella microps is a very common frog, but it can be hard to spot because it's so good at hiding. These frogs do not live in open areas, so losing their forest homes is a threat to them. However, they are found in several protected areas, which helps keep them safe.
 | Isaac Myers |
 | D. Hamilton Jackson |
 | A. Philip Randolph |
