Phrynobatrachus uzungwensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phrynobatrachus uzungwensis |
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The Udzungwa Puddle Frog (Phrynobatrachus uzungwensis) is a small frog that lives only in eastern Tanzania, a country in Africa. It's found in several mountain ranges there, like the Udzungwa, Uluguru, Nguu, and Nguru Mountains. People also call it the Ukinga puddle frog.
What Does This Frog Look Like?
Adult male Udzungwa Puddle Frogs are about 16 to 21 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring 21 to 25 millimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) from their snout to their rear end. These frogs have a stocky, strong body.
Their snout (nose area) is a little bit pointed. They have an ear drum (called a tympanum) that is hard to see. Their toes have wide webbing, which helps them swim. The tips of their fingers and toes are wide and have special grooves around the edges.
The back of the frog (called the dorsum) is a rich, reddish-brown color. Some frogs might have a large red or orange band across their shoulders, between their arms. This band is often outlined by a darker brown or black stripe. You might also see other patterns, like a dark band or triangle between their eyes, or dark stripes near their armpits (called axillae). Often, there's a light area in front of the eye band and a pale spot between the shoulders.
Their legs have dark stripes, but their upper arms are usually orange. The very tips of their fingers and toes are bright red! The lower part of their jaw is dark, almost black. Male frogs have a clear vocal sac (the part they inflate to make sounds) and more white spines on the skin under their chin (called gular skin).
Where Does This Frog Live?
The Udzungwa Puddle Frog lives in forests on mountains, usually at heights above 900 meters (about 2,950 feet) above sea level. These are called submontane and montane forests. They like to be near mountain streams, which is probably where they lay their eggs and where their young grow up.
Scientists found these frogs in plants just above the ground, on rocks, and in small pools of water near streams. They even found a pair of frogs mating (called an amplexant pair) in one of these small pools.
Protecting the Udzungwa Puddle Frog
Even though you can find many Udzungwa Puddle Frogs in places where they like to live, their homes are shrinking. Their forest habitat is being lost because of farming, cutting down trees (logging), fires, and people building new homes.
Luckily, this frog lives in some protected areas. These include the Udzungwa Mountains National Park and several forest reserves like Uluguru North, Nguru South, and Kanga Forest Reserve. These protected places help keep their forest homes safe.
