Rio Chingual Valley tree frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rio Chingual Valley tree frog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hylidae |
| Genus: | Hyloscirtus |
| Species: |
H. pantostictus
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| Binomial name | |
| Hyloscirtus pantostictus (Duellman & Berger, 1982)
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The Rio Chingual Valley tree frog (Hyloscirtus pantostictus) is a special type of frog that lives in trees. It belongs to the Hylidae family, which is a group of tree frogs. You can find this frog in the countries of Colombia and Ecuador.
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Where This Frog Lives
This amazing frog makes its home in warm, wet montane forests. These are forests found on mountainsides. It also lives near rivers. Scientists have seen these frogs living at high places, between 1,950 and 2,700 meters (about 6,400 to 8,860 feet) above sea level. This is like living high up in the mountains!
What the Rio Chingual Valley Tree Frog Looks Like
These frogs are not very big. An adult male frog is usually about 55.5 to 68.1 millimeters long from its nose to its bottom. That's about the size of a large paperclip! Female frogs are a bit bigger, around 64.1 millimeters long.
Colors and Patterns
The skin on the frog's back is a cool olive green color. It has bright orange spots scattered across its back. Its belly is white. You might also see orange spots on the front of its neck. The parts of its legs that are usually hidden are black and orange.
Special Features
One of the most interesting things about this frog is its toes. It has bright yellow climbing disks on its toes! These disks help the frog stick to trees and leaves, making it a great climber. Its eyes have a gray color.
Why This Frog Needs Our Help
Scientists are worried about the Rio Chingual Valley tree frog. It is considered a critically endangered species. This means there are very few of them left, and they are at a high risk of disappearing forever.
Losing Their Homes
The biggest problem for these frogs is habitat loss. This happens when the places where they live, like their forests and rivers, are destroyed or changed by people. For example, forests might be cut down for farming or building. Scientists are not sure if this frog can survive in areas where its home has been badly damaged. Protecting their natural homes is very important to help these frogs survive.
What's in a Name?
The scientific name for this frog is Hyloscirtus pantostictus. The second part of its name, pantostictus, comes from an old Greek language word. It means "stained" or "spotted." This name fits the frog well because of its unique orange spots!
See also
In Spanish: Hyloscirtus pantostictus para niños
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 | Juan E. Gilbert |
 | Neil deGrasse Tyson |
