Elegant shrub frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elegant shrub frog |
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Philautus decoris Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda, 2004 |
The elegant shrub frog (Pseudophilautus decoris) is a special kind of frog. It belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, which includes many tree frogs. This frog is only found in Sri Lanka, an island country. This means it is endemic to Sri Lanka and lives nowhere else in the world.
Where it Lives
The elegant shrub frog lives in different kinds of habitats. These include warm, wet lowland forests and cooler, wet montane forests found on mountains. It can also be found in plantations, which are areas where trees are grown for crops. Sometimes, it lives in places that used to be forests but are now changed by humans.
Scientists have seen this frog in two main areas. One place is close to sea level, about 60 meters high. The other place is much higher, around 1060 meters above sea level. This shows the frog can live in different environments.
What it Looks Like
Adult male elegant shrub frogs are quite small. They measure about 18.3 to 20.6 millimeters from their snout to their rear end. Female frogs are a little bigger, measuring 19.0 to 23.9 millimeters.
The skin on the frog's back is usually gray-brown. It has dark brown stripes and other marks. You might also see some yellow-green on its shoulders. The middle of its back can have a reddish-brown color, along with two black stripes.
The sides of its body are yellow-gray with dark brown spots. Parts of its back legs are a light blue color. Its belly is yellow and has tiny black spots. The bottoms of its feet are black with white marks.
Froggy Families
Female elegant shrub frogs lay their eggs in the dirt. They lay between 6 and 155 eggs at a time. Scientists think that mixing the eggs into the dirt helps separate them. This might allow more air to reach each egg, which is good for the growing frogs.
Inside the eggs, the baby frogs look like tiny tadpoles. But here's a cool fact: they don't hatch as tadpoles that swim in water. Instead, they hatch directly as small frogs! These young frogs have the same colors as the adult frogs.
Why it's in Danger
Sadly, the elegant shrub frog is an endangered species. This means there are not many of them left, and they are at risk of disappearing forever. Several things threaten these frogs:
- Habitat Loss: Their homes are being destroyed. This happens because of logging, which is cutting down trees for wood. It also happens when forests are cleared for pasturage, which is land used for grazing animals.
- Climate Change: Changes in the Earth's climate can affect their habitats. This might mean less rain or changes in temperature that the frogs can't handle.
- Pollution: Chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides, used in farming, can harm the frogs. These chemicals can get into their environment and make them sick.
- Predators: Other animals, both natural ones and those brought in by humans, hunt and eat these frogs.
Scientists are also looking into a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis. This disease affects amphibians around the world. However, scientists are not sure if this specific disease is present in Sri Lanka and affecting these frogs.
What's in a Name?
The scientific name for this frog is Pseudophilautus decoris. The word decoris comes from an ancient Greek word. It means "beautiful" or "elegant." This is why the frog is also known as the "elegant shrub frog."
