Petropedetes newtonii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Petropedetes newtonii |
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Petropedetes newtonii is a type of frog that lives in Africa. It belongs to the Petropedetidae family of frogs. You can find this special frog on the island of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea and along the coast of Cameroon. People sometimes call it the Newton's water frog. Scientists have worked hard to understand this frog, especially because it looks similar to other frogs. Its first official sample was even lost, so a new one had to be chosen in 2018.
What's in a Name?
The frog's scientific name, newtonii, honors a Portuguese botanist named Francisco Xavier Oakley de Aguiar Newton. He was a plant expert who collected many samples in Africa in the 1880s. Scientists named this frog after him to remember his important work.
What Does it Look Like?
These frogs are not very big. Adult male frogs are about 33 to 35 millimeters (about 1.3 to 1.4 inches) long. Adult female frogs are a bit larger, measuring about 30 to 41 millimeters (about 1.2 to 1.6 inches) long. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (bottom).
- Their body is strong and sturdy.
- Their head is shaped a bit like a triangle and is slightly wider than it is long.
- The snout is somewhat pointed.
- They have large eyes.
- You can clearly see their tympanum, which is like their eardrum. It is smaller than their eye.
- The tips of their fingers and toes are wide and shaped like hearts.
- Their fingers do not have webbing, but their toes might have a small amount of webbing.
- Their back skin has small bumps called pustules.
- When preserved, these frogs are brown on their back and white on their belly.
- Male frogs have stronger forearms. They also have special bumps and spines on their hands and around their eardrums.
Where Does it Live?
The Newton's water frog lives in different spots on Bioko island. It can be found from areas near the sea up to about 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) above sea level. It also lives along the coast of Cameroon.
Adult frogs usually stay in or very close to streams, often within two meters of the water. However, young frogs might be found further away from water. You can spot these frogs on stream banks, on rocks, or low in plants. Sometimes, they even perch as high as 1.8 meters (about 6 feet) above the water!
Scientists are still studying the exact conservation status of Petropedetes newtonii. This means they are working to understand how many of these frogs there are and if they are in danger.
