Rhinella chrysophora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhinella chrysophora |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Rhinella |
| Species: |
R. chrysophora
|
| Binomial name | |
| Rhinella chrysophora (McCranie, Wilson, and Williams, 1989)
|
|
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Atelophryniscus chrysophorus McCranie, Wilson, and Williams, 1989 |
|
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The Rhinella chrysophora, often called the Rio Viejo toad, is a unique type of toad. It is part of the Bufonidae family, which includes many different toads. This special toad lives only in one specific area: the Cordillera Nombre de Dios mountains in north-central Honduras. This means it is endemic to that region.
What Does It Look Like?
Scientists have studied a few adult Rio Viejo toads to learn about their size. Male toads are usually about 33.6 to 37.4 millimeters long. Female toads are a bit larger, measuring around 36.2 millimeters. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (bottom).
The toad has a special gland behind its eye called a parotoid gland, which is shaped like a triangle. Its fingers do not have webbing, but its toes do. The toad's back, or dorsum, can be light or dark lime green. It often has olive brown spots and pale lime green stripes along its sides. You might also see small, rusty red bumps on its skin. The toad's belly is light blue-green with dark brown blotches.
The baby toads, called tadpoles, are very interesting! They are known as "gastromyzophorous" tadpoles. This means they are specially adapted to live in fast-moving mountain streams. They have a large sucker on their belly that helps them stick to rocks. This sucker covers about three-fourths of their body length.
These tadpoles look a lot like the tadpoles of another toad group called Atelopus. However, the adult toads from these two groups look quite different. Rio Viejo toad tadpoles are black with gold markings. The biggest tadpoles are about 26 millimeters long. When a young toad has just changed from a tadpole and still has a small tail, it measures about 9.2 millimeters from snout to vent.
Where Does It Live and How Is It Doing?
The Rio Viejo toad lives in wet forests found in mountains. These forests are usually between 750 and 1760 meters above sea level. The tadpoles grow up in mountain streams. They cling tightly to rocks and boulders to avoid being swept away by the water.
Sadly, the Rio Viejo toad is facing threats. Its habitat is being lost because of landslides and a farming method called slash-and-burn agriculture. This method involves cutting down and burning forests to clear land for crops, which destroys the toad's home. The good news is that this toad can be found in the Pico Bonito National Park. This park helps protect some of its natural living areas.
See also
In Spanish: Sapo del Río Viejo para niños
