Poyntonophrynus parkeri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Poyntonophrynus parkeri |
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Bufo parkeri Loveridge, 1932 |
Poyntonophrynus parkeri (also known as Parker's toad or Mangasini toad) is a small type of toad that belongs to the Bufonidae family. You can find this toad in parts of central Tanzania and southwestern Kenya. It lives from the Usangu Plain in the south up to the southern Great Rift Valley, Kenya. We don't know a lot about this toad, so it might live in even more places!
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Why is it Called Parker's Toad?
This toad is named parkeri to honor a famous English zoologist (someone who studies animals) named Hampton Wildman Parker. He worked at the Natural History Museum, London. Mr. Parker helped another scientist, Arthur Loveridge, figure out that this toad was a brand new species. He did this by comparing it to another toad, Bufo vittatus.
What Does Parker's Toad Look Like?
Parker's toads are quite small.
- Adult male toads are about 2.7 to 3.0 centimeters (about 1.1 to 1.2 inches) long from their snout to their rear.
- Adult female toads are a bit bigger, measuring about 3.1 to 3.3 centimeters (about 1.2 to 1.3 inches) long.
Their eardrum, called the tympanum, is shaped like a tall oval. The skin on their back is a muddy black color, which helps them blend in with the soil where they live. They also have small bumps, or warts, that are a dull brownish-red or ochre color.
Male toads have a dull chrome-colored throat. Female toads, however, have a white throat, just like the rest of their underside. When scientists preserve these toads, a V-shaped mark often appears between their eyes.
Where Do Parker's Toads Live?
Poyntonophrynus parkeri lives in open areas like grasslands with a few trees, savannas, and flood plains. These toads like to breed in temporary pools of water that form after it rains.
Protecting Parker's Toad
Scientists don't know much about what threatens Parker's toad. However, some local problems like too much overgrazing by animals or new human settlements could affect them. Luckily, this toad can be found in the Usangu Game Reserve, which is a protected area.
