Parhoplophryne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parhoplophryne usambarica |
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The Parhoplophryne is a special type of frog. It belongs to the Microhylidae family, which are often called 'narrow-mouthed frogs'. There is only one known species in this group, called Parhoplophryne usambarica. People sometimes call it the Usambara black-banded frog or the Amani forest frog. This frog is found only in the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania, Africa. Scientists have only ever found one of these frogs. It was collected a long time ago, in the 1920s. Because of this, many worry that it might no longer exist.
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Discovering the Usambara Frog
Scientists first found this frog in 1928. It was named by two researchers, Thomas Barbour and Arthur Loveridge. They found only one young female frog. This single frog is the only example we have of the species. It is called the holotype.
What the Frog Looked Like
The only frog found was about 23 millimeters (less than an inch) long. This is about the size of a small paperclip. It had a sturdy body. Its head was small, and its snout was pointed. The frog's mouth was also small. It did not have an eardrum, which is called a tympanum. Its fingers and toes did not have any webbing.
The frog's skin was smooth. It had some rough folds on its body. Its colors were similar to another frog, Hoplophryne rogersi. The top of its body was a slatey-blue color. This color faded to blue-grey on the sides. A white band ran from its eye to the base of its front leg. The underside of the frog was white. It had dark brown spots and blotches.
About the Tadpoles
Scientists also collected some tadpoles. These are young frogs that live in water. However, it is not certain if these tadpoles belonged to the Parhoplophryne usambarica. They might have been from the Hoplophryne rogersi species instead.
Where the Frog Lived
The only Parhoplophryne usambarica ever found was in a wild banana plant. This plant was in a forest on a hill. The hill was located west of a place called Amani. This area is about 900 meters (about 2,950 feet) above sea level. We do not have much more information about where this frog lived. We also do not know much about its daily life.
Protecting the Usambara Frog
Many searches have been done in the area where the frog was found. Sadly, no more Parhoplophryne usambarica frogs have been seen. The area has also lost a lot of its natural forest. First, parts of the forest were cleared for tea farms. Now, small farms are taking up more land.
Because of these reasons, scientists worry that this frog might be extinct. This means it may no longer exist anywhere in the world. There is a place called the Amani Nature Reserve nearby. It is possible the frog could still live there. However, even with many searches, no frogs have been found.
