Probreviceps uluguruensis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Probreviceps uluguruensis
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Brevicipitidae
Genus:	Probreviceps
Species:	P. uluguruensis
Binomial name
Probreviceps uluguruensis (Loveridge, 1925)
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.
Synonyms
Breviceps uluguruensis Loveridge, 1925

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

Probreviceps uluguruensis is a special kind of frog that belongs to the Brevicipitidae family. It's often called the Uluguru big-fingered frog or the Uluguru forest frog. This frog is found only in one place: the Uluguru Mountains in Tanzania, Africa. This means it is endemic to that area, making it very unique!

What Does the Uluguru Big-Fingered Frog Look Like?

These frogs are quite small. Male frogs usually grow to about 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) long. Female frogs are a bit bigger, reaching about 43 millimeters (1.7 inches) long. This measurement is taken from their snout (nose) to their vent (where waste leaves the body).

The Uluguru big-fingered frog has small eyes. You won't be able to see its tympanum, which is like an eardrum. Its back, called the dorsum, feels rough. The color of its back can be cream or brown.

Some females have two light-colored stripes along their sides. These stripes can even be deep red on some frogs. The underside of the frog is usually purple. Its eyes can be pale or orange-brown. When male frogs want to attract a mate, they make a short, low-pitched chirping sound.

Where Does the Uluguru Big-Fingered Frog Live?

This frog lives high up in the mountains. You can find it in mountain grasslands. It also lives a little bit in mountain forests. These areas are usually between 1,800 and 2,500 meters (about 5,900 to 8,200 feet) above sea level.

The Uluguru big-fingered frog is a semi-fossorial animal. This means it spends most of its time living on or under the ground. It likes to burrow into the soil. When it's time to lay eggs, the female frog puts them in burrows under clumps of grass.

These frogs have a special way of developing. Their eggs go through "direct development." This means that tiny froglets hatch directly from the eggs. There is no free-living tadpole stage, which is different from many other frogs.

Protecting the Uluguru Big-Fingered Frog

This frog can sometimes live in places that have been slightly changed by humans. In some areas, you might even find many of them. However, the area where this frog lives is quite small. Its home can be harmed by wildfires started by people. It can also be affected by the loss of forests.

Luckily, the Uluguru big-fingered frog lives in the Uluguru Nature Reserve. This reserve is a protected area. It helps keep the frog's habitat safe. Protecting these areas is important to make sure these unique frogs can continue to thrive.