Odorrana supranarina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Odorrana supranarina |
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Rana supranarina Matsui, 1994 |
Odorrana supranarina is a special type of frog that belongs to the family called Ranidae. It's a unique frog because it's found only in the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan. You can find it on two islands there: Ishigaki and Iriomote, which are part of the Yaeyama Group.
This frog's name, supranarina, means "beyond" in Latin. This name was chosen because when it was first discovered, it was the biggest frog in its group, the Rana narina complex. Because of its size, people often call it the greater tip-nosed frog.
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What Does the Greater Tip-Nosed Frog Look Like?
Adult male frogs are about 59 to 77 millimeters (2.3 to 3 inches) long from their snout to their bottom. Adult females are even bigger, measuring 81 to 103 millimeters (3.2 to 4.1 inches). This measurement is called "snout–vent length."
Body Features
The greater tip-nosed frog has a strong body and a head shaped like a triangle. Its snout, which is its nose area, is pointed. You can clearly see its tympanum, which is like its eardrum.
Its fingers do not have webbing between them, and they have small, round pads called discs. Its toes, however, have good webbing and discs that are a bit larger than the finger discs. The skin on its back is smooth.
Color and Markings
The color of its back can be light brown or greenish-brown. It doesn't have any special patterns. But you might see dark marks below its eye, around its eardrum, and along the folds of skin on its back. Its legs also have dark stripes.
Male frogs have two vocal sacs under their throat. These sacs inflate when they call out to attract mates.
Tadpoles
Baby frogs, called Tadpoles, are quite thin and have long, strong tails. When a tadpole first changes into a frog, it's only about 13 millimeters (0.5 inches) long.
On both Ishigaki and Iriomote islands, the greater tip-nosed frog lives alongside another frog called Odorrana utsunomiyaorum. This other frog is much smaller. It seems that these two frog species became different sizes because they might have been competing for food or space.
Where Does the Greater Tip-Nosed Frog Live and How Is It Protected?
The greater tip-nosed frog lives in forests with broad-leaved evergreen trees, usually near mountain streams. But you can also find it closer to the coast, in forests next to rivers, even near mangrove areas.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
These frogs lay their eggs between October and March. They choose shallow streams and pools for breeding. The eggs are attached to stones or dead leaves that are underwater.
Conservation Efforts
This frog species lives in a small area, and its habitat is broken up into smaller pieces. Its home is threatened by habitat loss and damage from logging and human settlements, especially on Ishigaki Island.
Iriomote Island is part of the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. Even though it's a national park, more protection is still needed for the forests where these frogs live.
