Savannah forest tree frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Savannah forest tree frog |
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The savannah forest tree frog, also called the ground tree frog, is a type of frog. Its scientific name is Leptopelis bufonides. This frog belongs to the Arthroleptidae family. You can find it living in parts of West Africa and Middle Africa. Scientists are still learning about how this frog is related to another species called Leptopelis bocagei.
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Where Does This Frog Live?
The savannah forest tree frog, or Leptopelis bufonides, lives in many countries in Africa. These include Senegal, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, Togo, northern Benin, northern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, and southern Chad. It might also live in other countries like Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Niger. However, scientists have not yet officially confirmed its presence in those places.
What Does This Frog Look Like?
The savannah forest tree frog is a small frog that looks a bit like a toad. Male frogs are about 29 to 33 millimeters long from their snout (nose) to their vent (where waste leaves the body). Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring 37 to 41 millimeters long.
The frog's back, called its dorsum, is brown. It often has a darker, triangle-shaped pattern on its head that points backward. It also has an 'n' shaped pattern and a few dark spots along the middle of its back. Its skin feels bumpy or warty. This frog has short legs, and its toes have only tiny bits of webbing between them.
Male savannah forest tree frogs make a special sound to attract females. This sound is a "clack." It is deeper and less musical than the calls of other Leptopelis frogs found in West Africa.
Frog's Home and Life Cycle
This frog lives in dry, open areas like savanna and grasslands. It likely spends a lot of time underground. This is called being fossorial. They might stay hidden underground for much of the year.
Reproduction happens in meadows that are flooded with water. Male frogs call out from the ground, hidden in low grass or shallow water. The female frogs lay their eggs in a burrow, which is a hole dug in soft, loamy soil.
How This Frog Is Doing
The savannah forest tree frog seems to be quite rare. It has only been found in a few places across its very large known range. Scientists are not sure why this is. It could be because not many frog surveys have been done in these areas. Or, it might be because the frog is very good at hiding. It could also be that the frog's population is naturally spread out in small groups. For now, scientists do not think this frog is facing any major threats.
