Purple frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purple frog |
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| Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nasikabatrachus
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| Species: |
sahyadrensis
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| Distribution range of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis (in ORANGE) | |
The purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis) is a special type of frog. It belongs to a group of frogs called Sooglossidae. This unique frog lives in the Western Ghats mountains in India.
People also call this frog by other fun names like the Indian purple frog, pignose frog, or doughnut frog. Scientists S.D. Biju and F. Bossyut first discovered it in October 2003.
Contents
What Does the Purple Frog Look Like?
The purple frog has a body shape like most other frogs, but it's a bit rounded. It has a small head and a very unusual, pointed snout that looks a bit like a pig's nose.
Adult purple frogs are usually a dark purple color. When they make a sound, it doesn't sound like a typical frog croak. Instead, their cry sounds more like a chicken!
Where Does the Purple Frog Live?
This amazing frog spends almost all year living underground. It only comes out for about two weeks each year. This happens during the monsoon season, which is when it rains a lot.
The main reason they come out is to find a mate and lay their eggs. After this short time, they go back underground.
What Does the Purple Frog Eat?
Unlike many other frogs that dig and find food above the ground, the purple frog eats while it's still underground. They mostly eat termites.
They use their special tongue to catch these insects. This way of eating helps them stay hidden and safe for most of their lives.
Who Are the Purple Frog's Relatives?
The purple frog has one close relative, which is called Bhupathy's purple frog. This relative also lives in the Western Ghats in India.
Scientists study these frogs to learn more about how different animals are related around the world.
How Do Purple Frogs Help Us Understand Earth's Past?
Scientists have found that the purple frog and Bhupathy's purple frog have close relatives living far away in the Seychelles islands, which are near Africa. This is very interesting!
This discovery helps support an idea called Gondwanaland. This idea explains that Africa and India were once part of one giant continent called Gondwanaland. Over millions of years, this supercontinent slowly broke apart, and the pieces drifted to where they are today. Finding these related frogs in different places helps show that this idea is likely true.
Images for kids
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Purple frog tadpoles
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Purple frog juveniles
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Purple frogs mating
See also
In Spanish: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis para niños
