Plectrohyla hartwegi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plectrohyla hartwegi |
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Hartweg's spikethumb frog (its scientific name is Plectrohyla hartwegi) is a type of frog. It belongs to the Hylidae family, also known as tree frogs. You can find this frog in parts of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. It lives in places like the Sierra Madre de Chiapas and eastern Oaxaca in Mexico. It also lives in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes and Sierra de las Minas in Guatemala, and the Sierra de Omoa in Honduras. Scientists think there might be more than one species hiding under this name.
How it Got its Name
This frog is named after Norman Hartweg. He was an American scientist who studied reptiles and amphibians (called a herpetologist). The very first frog specimen of this kind was found by Eizi Matuda in 1941. It was sent to Norman Hartweg. He knew it was a special and new type of frog. But he did not want to officially describe a new species with just one example.
Later, in 1968, more frogs of this type were found. Then, another scientist named William E. Duellman officially described the species. This is how the Hartweg's spikethumb frog got its name.
What Does it Look Like?
Scientists first studied three frogs to describe this species. The largest male was about 64 millimeters (2.5 inches) long from its snout to its bottom. Two younger males were smaller, around 42 and 48 millimeters (1.7 to 1.9 inches) long.
Adult male frogs can grow up to 76 millimeters (3 inches) long. Female frogs can reach about 77 millimeters (3 inches) in length. This frog has a strong, sturdy body. Its head is a little wider than it is long. The head is also as wide as its body. It has a short snout and large eyes.
A thick fold of skin covers the top edge of its eardrum (called the tympanum). The color on its back can be dull olive-brown, olive-green, or pale green. About one out of five frogs have light bronze-tan spots on their back and legs. Male frogs have a very large, two-pointed "spikethumb." This is a special thumb-like structure.
Where it Lives and How We Protect It
Hartweg's spikethumb frog lives in high mountain areas. It can be found between 925 and 2,700 meters (about 3,000 to 8,900 feet) above sea level. Its natural habitats are cloud forests. These forests are often misty and wet. The frogs live near rocky mountain streams, which is where they lay their eggs.
Sadly, this frog has disappeared from some places. Its numbers seem to be going down. One reason for this decline is a disease called chytridiomycosis. This disease affects amphibians. Another big reason is habitat loss. This means the places where they live are being destroyed or changed.
The Mexican law helps protect this frog. It is listed under a "Special Protection" category. This means efforts are made to keep its habitat safe and help the species survive.
See also
In Spanish: Plectrohyla hartwegi para niños
