Pseudophilautus schmarda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pseudophilautus schmarda |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Rhacophoridae |
| Genus: | Pseudophilautus |
| Species: |
P. schmarda
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| Binomial name | |
| Pseudophilautus schmarda (Kelaart, 1854)
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| Synonyms | |
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Polypedates (?) schmardanus Kelaart, 1854 |
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The Pseudophilautus schmarda is a type of frog that belongs to the family Rhacophoridae. This special frog lives only in one place, which means it is endemic to the central hills of Sri Lanka. You can find it in areas like the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, Agra Bopath, Horton Plains, and Pedro.
This frog was named after Ludwig Karl Schmarda. He was an Austrian doctor, a scientist who studied nature, and a traveler. Because of this, the frog is also known by common names like the Sri Lanka bug-eyed frog and Schmarda's shrub frog.
What Does It Look Like?
These frogs are quite small. Adult male frogs are about 18 to 27 millimeters (0.7 to 1.1 inches) long from their snout to their bottom. Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring around 20 to 30 millimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches) long.
The Pseudophilautus schmarda has a sturdy body. Its snout, or nose area, is somewhat pointed. You can see its eardrum, called the tympanum, and there's a clear fold of skin above it. Its fingers have small skin fringes on the sides and only tiny bits of webbing. However, its toes have more webbing between them.
The skin on the frog's back is rough. It has special folds, bumps, and small, horn-like spines. The top part of the frog can be dark green or reddish-brown. Its sides change color from yellow to dark brown and then to light brown. The frog's chest and belly are yellow with bright yellow spots.
Where It Lives and How We Protect It
The Pseudophilautus schmarda frog mostly lives in cloud forests. These forests are found high up in the mountains, between 810 and 2300 meters (2,657 to 7,546 feet) above sea level. Sometimes, these frogs are also found in pine forests or old tea farms.
Young frogs, called juveniles, are often seen on the forest floor. But adult frogs usually live in the plants that grow under the taller trees, about 1 to 2 meters (3 to 7 feet) above the ground. When a female frog is ready to lay eggs, she digs a deep hole in the forest floor and puts her eggs there.
This frog is quite common in its habitat. A lot of the areas where it lives are protected. However, its home is still in danger. People sometimes illegally collect firewood, cut down trees for wood, or turn forest land into farms, like tea plantations. Other dangers to these frogs include forest fires and pollution from farm chemicals.
 | Mary Eliza Mahoney |
 | Susie King Taylor |
 | Ida Gray |
 | Eliza Ann Grier |
