Phrynobatrachus pakenhami facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phrynobatrachus pakenhami
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Phrynobatrachidae
Genus:	Phrynobatrachus
Species:	P. pakenhami
Binomial name
Phrynobatrachus pakenhami Loveridge, 1941
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.
Synonyms
Phrynobatrachus nigripes Pickersgill, 2007

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The Phrynobatrachus pakenhami is a type of frog. It belongs to the Phrynobatrachidae family. This special frog lives only on Pemba Island. Pemba Island is located near Tanzania in Africa. It looks a bit like its close relative, Phrynobatrachus acridoides. However, these two frogs live in different places and make different calls. Scientists once thought there was another tiny frog called P. nigripes. But they later found out these were just young P. pakenhami frogs.

What's in a Name?

This frog's scientific name, pakenhami, honors a man named Richard Hercules Wingfield Pakenham. He was a British administrator. Mr. Pakenham studied the animals of Zanzibar and Pemba islands. Because of him, this frog is also known as Pakenham's river frog.

What Does It Look Like?

These frogs are not very big. Adult males are about 25 to 35 millimeters (1 to 1.4 inches) long. Adult females are a bit larger, measuring 31 to 36 millimeters (1.2 to 1.4 inches). Their bodies are quite sturdy.

Body Features

• The frog's snout is somewhat pointed.
• You can see its eardrum, which is called the tympanum.
• Its fingers have small discs on the tips.
• Its toes have well-developed discs.
• The toes also have some webbing between them.
• The skin is smooth, except for some W-shaped bumps on its shoulders.

Colors and Patterns

The frog's back is usually grey or brownish-grey. It might have a lighter triangle shape on its snout. Sometimes, there's a wide, light stripe down its back. A light bar might also be present between its eyes. Darker brown spots can be seen on the shoulder bumps. Its back legs might have wide, dark stripes with light edges. The upper lip can be plain grey or have stripes. The belly is whitish with tiny brown spots. Male frogs have a dark grey throat. Female frogs have brown blotches on their throats, which can make them look dark.

Where Does It Live?

The Phrynobatrachus pakenhami lives in forests and forest edges. You can find it in the northern part of Pemba Island. These frogs need tropical evergreen lowland forests to survive.

Breeding Spots

They lay their eggs and raise their young in different water sources. These include pools, marshes, puddles, and ditches along roadsides. These water spots must be in or near the forest.

Protecting This Frog

This frog species does not do well in places where the habitat is badly damaged. It is quite common in the Ngezi Forest Reserve. This reserve holds the last natural rainforest on Pemba Island.

Threats to Survival

The biggest danger to this frog is habitat loss. This means their forest homes are disappearing. Scientists worry that the frog might have already vanished from areas outside the Ngezi Forest Reserve. Protecting this forest is very important for the survival of the Phrynobatrachus pakenhami.