Leptomantis harrissoni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leptomantis harrissoni |
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Leptomantis harrissoni, also known as the Harrisson's flying frog or brown tree frog, is a special type of frog. It belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, which includes many tree frogs. This frog is found only in a specific part of the world: northern Borneo.
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Where Does It Live?
This amazing frog lives across northern Borneo. You can find it in places like Sarawak and Sabah in Malaysia, the country of Brunei, and northern Kalimantan in Indonesia. So, it's spread out quite a bit in this region!
Home Sweet Home
Harrisson's flying frog loves to live in thick, green rainforests. It prefers forests that are either untouched (called primary rainforests) or very old regrown forests (old secondary rainforests). These frogs live in both flat areas and on hills, but always below 350 meters (about 1,150 feet) in height. Sadly, their homes are shrinking because of habitat loss, which means their natural forest homes are being destroyed.
What Does It Look Like?
Size and Appearance
Leptomantis harrissoni is a medium-sized frog. Male frogs can grow to about 50 millimeters (2 inches) long. Female frogs are a bit bigger, reaching about 70 millimeters (2.8 inches) in length. These frogs have a snout that looks a bit pointed and angular. They also have dark webbing between their fingers, which is very useful! Their main color is usually brown.
Tadpoles
The tadpoles of this frog can grow to about 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) long. They have a well-developed tail fin that is also quite pointed. Their body is oval-shaped, and they have a short snout. Just like the adult frogs, the tadpoles are usually dark brown.
Life in the Rainforest
Daily Life and Reproduction
Leptomantis harrissoni spends most of its life high up in the forest trees. When it's time to breed, the male frogs call out from holes in tree trunks that are filled with water. The female frogs lay their eggs in a special foam nest. This nest is attached to the tree bark right above these water-filled holes.
How They "Fly"
These frogs have a very cool trick! They use the skin membranes between their fingers and toes like tiny parachutes. This allows them to glide or "fly" from one tree branch to another. This special ability is why they are called "flying frogs"! It helps them move around the forest canopy and escape from danger.
