Mutable rainfrog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mutable rainfrog |
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The Pristimantis mutabilis, also known as the mutable rainfrog or "punk rock" rainfrog, is a special type of frog. It belongs to the family Strabomantidae. You can find this amazing frog in the Andes mountains of Ecuador, specifically in the Pichincha and Imbabura areas.
What makes the mutable rainfrog so unique? It's the first known amphibian that can change its skin texture very quickly. In just a few minutes, its bumpy skin can become almost smooth! This incredible ability is called phenotypic plasticity. The name mutabilis means "changeable," which perfectly describes this frog. Scientists are still trying to understand how it changes its skin.
How This Frog Was Discovered
Scientists officially named the Pristimantis mutabilis in 2015. Its description was published in a science magazine called the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. The first frog specimen used for its description was collected in 2013.
Scientists first saw this new species in 2006. But it wasn't until 2009 that they collected a specimen and found out about its unusual skin-changing abilities. Genetic studies helped place this frog in the genus Pristimantis.
Interestingly, another frog called Pristimantis sobetes also shows similar skin changes. This suggests that many Pristimantis frogs might have this cool ability. It might be more common in this group than in other amphibians.
What the Mutable Rainfrog Looks Like
Male mutable rainfrogs are quite small, measuring about 17 millimeters (0.67 inches) long. Female frogs are a bit bigger, about 21 to 23 millimeters (0.83 to 0.91 inches) long. This measurement is from their snout to their bottom.
When they are alive, male frogs have light brown to pale greenish-grey backs. They often have bright green marks and dark brown patterns that look like "V" shapes. These patterns are outlined with thin cream or white lines. They also have orange folds along their sides. Their bellies are pale grey to brown with darker spots and a few small white spots. Female frogs have bright red colors that flash when they move.
Where the Frog Lives and How We Protect It
The mutable rainfrog lives in trees. Its habitat is in both old and new Andean forests. You can find them at elevations from about 1,850 to 2,063 meters (6,070 to 6,768 feet) above sea level.
We only know about the Pristimantis mutabilis from three places. These places are all inside two protected areas. Even though it's hard to see them because they live in trees, their calls at night suggest there are many of them.
However, the groups of frogs are separated by a dry valley called the Guayllabamba River. This valley acts like a barrier, making it hard for them to move between areas. Also, the places where they live are being destroyed and broken into smaller pieces. A frog disease called Chytridiomycosis is also a possible threat to these special frogs.
