Leptomantis gauni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leptomantis gauni |
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Leptomantis gauni is a type of frog that lives in trees. It belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, also known as "moss frogs" or "tree frogs." You can only find this frog on the island of Borneo. It lives in parts of Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Brunei, and Indonesia (north-eastern Kalimantan). This frog was named after Gaun Sureng, who helped a scientist named Robert F. Inger find animals for the Sarawak Museum. People sometimes call it the short-nosed tree frog or Inger's flying frog.
What Does the Short-Nosed Tree Frog Look Like?
Adult male Leptomantis gauni frogs are about 2.6 to 3.0 centimeters (1.0 to 1.2 inches) long. Females are a bit bigger, measuring 3.6 to 3.8 centimeters (1.4 to 1.5 inches) from their snout to their rear end.
Here are some features of this frog:
- It has a short, rounded snout.
- There's a small, cone-shaped bump on the middle of its upper eyelid.
- Its eardrum is easy to see.
- The tips of its fingers and toes have special, well-developed discs. These help it grip surfaces.
- Its fingers are partly webbed, and its toes are almost fully webbed.
The frog's back is light gray with faint, large, dark spots. It usually has a dark spot between its shoulders. A special cream-colored or white spot is found right below its eye. Its sides and belly are white. The legs have dark stripes across them, and the front and back of its thighs are reddish-orange. The iris of its eye is pale brown.
Where Does the Short-Nosed Tree Frog Live?
Leptomantis gauni lives in rainforests that are either untouched (primary) or very old (secondary). These forests are found in lowlands and hills, from about 100 to 980 meters (330 to 3,200 feet) above sea level.
These frogs like to live in plants that hang over small, clear, rocky streams. They lay their foam nests on branches that hang over these streams. When the tadpoles hatch, they live in the fast-moving parts of the streams called "riffles." They use their mouths like suckers to hold onto rocks so they don't get washed away.
Protecting the Short-Nosed Tree Frog
In some places, you can find many Leptomantis gauni frogs. However, they face threats to their homes. The biggest problems are:
- Deforestation: This happens when large areas of trees are cut down.
- Stream siltation: When trees are removed, soil can wash into streams, making them muddy. This harms the tadpoles' habitat.
Good news! This frog lives in many protected areas. This helps keep their homes safe from harm.
