Rheobates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rheobates |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Rheobates palmatus | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Aromobatidae |
| Subfamily: | Anomaloglossinae |
| Genus: | Rheobates Grant, Frost, Caldwell, Gagliardo, Haddad, Kok, Means, Noonan, Schargel, and Wheeler, 2006 |
| Type species | |
| Phyllobates palmatus Werner, 1899
|
|
| Diversity | |
| 2 species (see text) | |
Rheobates is a group, or genus, of frogs that belong to the family Aromobatidae. These special frogs are found only in Colombia, which means they are endemic there.
Rheobates frogs often have colors that help them blend in with their surroundings, making them hard to spot. This is called being cryptically colored. They also have wide webbing between their toes. The name Rheobates comes from two ancient Greek words: rheo, meaning "stream" or "current," and bates, meaning "a walker." This name describes how these frogs live near streams. You can find them in forests near the Andes mountains, usually at low to medium heights.
Species of Rheobates Frogs
Currently, scientists recognize two main types of frogs in the Rheobates genus:
- Rheobates palmatus (first described by Werner in 1899)
- Rheobates pseudopalmatus (first described by Rivero and Serna in 2000)
Sometimes, scientists discuss if Rheobates pseudopalmatus is truly a separate species. Also, Rheobates palmatus might actually be a group of very similar species, rather than just one. Scientists continue to study these frogs to learn more about them.
Images for kids
-
A Rheobates palmatus frog.
