Patzcuaro frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Patzcuaro frog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Ranidae |
| Genus: | Lithobates |
| Species: |
L. dunni
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| Binomial name | |
| Lithobates dunni (Zweifel, 1957)
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| Synonyms | |
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Rana dunni Zweifel, 1957 |
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The Patzcuaro frog is a type of frog that lives in Mexico. Its scientific names are Lithobates dunni or Rana dunni. These frogs belong to the Ranidae family. They are special because they are found only in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. Local people call them rana de Pátzcuaro. You can find them in places like Lake Pátzcuaro, Lake Cuitzeo, and nearby streams.
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Who Is It Named After?
The Patzcuaro frog's scientific name, dunni, honors a famous American scientist. His name was Emmett Reid Dunn. He studied reptiles and amphibians, which are animals like frogs, snakes, and lizards.
What Does the Patzcuaro Frog Look Like?
These frogs have a chunky body and short, thick legs. Female Patzcuaro frogs can grow to be about 97 millimeters (almost 4 inches) long. Males are a bit smaller, growing to about 71 millimeters (about 2.8 inches) long.
They have a clear eardrum, called a tympanum. Their skin on their back is very bumpy. The back of the frog is dark gray with some yellow-gray spots. Their head is yellowish-white with gray spots. The belly is white, but their chest and chin are gray. Male frogs have a special pouch called a vocal sac that helps them make sounds.
Where Do Patzcuaro Frogs Live and What Do They Eat?
Patzcuaro frogs love to live in deep water. This water usually has lots of nutrients, which means it's rich in food for them. Many of these frogs have been found in shallow water, about 6 to 18 inches deep, where there are many plants.
These frogs eat snails, especially those from the Physa group. Male frogs make calls all year long. They lay their eggs and have their babies in streams.
Why Are Patzcuaro Frogs in Danger?
Sadly, the Patzcuaro frog is facing a big problem. People in the local area like to eat them. Because so many frogs have been caught for food, their numbers have gone down a lot. These frogs used to be very common.
Right now, there are no special protected areas where these frogs live. This makes it harder to keep them safe. It's important to protect these unique frogs so they don't disappear.
 | Georgia Louise Harris Brown |
 | Julian Abele |
 | Norma Merrick Sklarek |
 | William Sidney Pittman |
