San Lorenzo harlequin frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Lorenzo harlequin frog |
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The Atelopus nahumae is a special kind of toad also known as the San Lorenzo harlequin frog. It belongs to the Bufonidae family, which includes many toads. This frog lives only in Colombia. You can find it in the wet, mountainous forests of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. This area is spread across the Magdalena, La Guajira, and Cesar Departments.
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What Does the San Lorenzo Harlequin Frog Look Like?
Size and Shape
Adult male San Lorenzo harlequin frogs are about 32 to 37 millimeters long. That's about the length of a few paperclips! Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring around 45 to 51 millimeters. This measurement is taken from their snout (nose) to their vent (bottom).
Their snout, or nose area, is pointed or slightly pointed. These frogs do not have a visible eardrum, which is called a tympanum.
Feet and Skin
Their fingers have small hints of webbing at the bottom. Their toes are more webbed. Toes one to three are fully webbed, and toe four is partly webbed. This helps them move in water.
The skin on their back is mostly smooth. But it also has small bumps, like tiny grains or little cone-shaped lumps. Some parts of their skin might also have small warts.
Colors and Markings
These frogs can be dark brown or light brown. They might have spots or be plain. Many of them have a brown X-shape mark on their upper back, near their shoulders. Some frogs also have a dark brown line running down the middle of their back.
Where Does the San Lorenzo Harlequin Frog Live?
Frog Homes
The San Lorenzo harlequin frog lives in forests that are high up in the mountains. These are called sub-Andean forests. They live at elevations from about 1,900 to 2,800 meters above sea level. That's like living on top of a very tall mountain!
You can also find them in forests where the trees form a thick roof, even if the forest has grown back after being cut down. They also live near rivers and streams, which are called riparian forests. They lay their eggs and have their babies in these streams.
Protecting These Frogs
This frog species is only known from four places. Even in these areas, the frogs gather in very specific spots. Other nearby places that look like good homes for them don't have any frogs.
The San Lorenzo harlequin frog faces some dangers. One big threat is a disease called chytridiomycosis. This is a fungus that can make amphibians sick. Luckily, as of 2014, this disease had not been found in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Another threat is habitat loss. This means they are losing their homes because of farming and cutting down trees. Luckily, these frogs live in protected areas. They are found in the Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. They also live in the nearby El Dorado Nature Reserve. These places help keep them safe.
See also
In Spanish: Atelopus nahumae para niños
