Schmidt's mountain brook frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schmidt's mountain brook frog |
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Ptychohyla schmidtorum Stuart, 1954 |
The Schmidt's mountain brook frog (Duellmanohyla schmidtorum) is a special type of frog. It belongs to the Hylidae family, which includes many tree frogs. This frog is unique because it only lives in a specific part of the world. It was named after two brothers, Karl Patterson Schmidt and Frank Schmidt, who were scientists interested in animals. They helped discover this frog.
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About Schmidt's Mountain Brook Frog
Schmidt's mountain brook frog is a small amphibian. Like all frogs, it starts its life in water as a tadpole. As it grows, it changes into a frog that can live on land, but it still needs water nearby. These frogs are known for living in cool, misty places high up in the mountains.
Where This Frog Lives
This frog is endemic to a certain area. This means it is found only there and nowhere else in the world. It lives on the Pacific side of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains. This mountain range stretches across southwestern Guatemala and southern Mexico. You can find it in eastern Oaxaca and southwestern Chiapas states.
The frog's natural home is in special places called montane cloud forests. These are forests high up in the mountains where clouds often hang low, making everything misty and wet. This creates the perfect damp environment for these frogs. They live at elevations from about 1,300 to 2,200 meters (or about 4,265 to 7,218 feet) above sea level. Imagine living so high up that you're often in the clouds!
Why This Frog Is Important
Every animal plays a part in its ecosystem. Frogs, like Schmidt's mountain brook frog, are important because they eat insects and are food for other animals. They also help scientists understand the health of the environment. Because their skin is sensitive, changes in their habitat can quickly affect them.
Facing Dangers
Sadly, Schmidt's mountain brook frog is facing some serious threats. Its biggest problem is habitat loss. This means the places where it lives are disappearing.
What Causes Habitat Loss
- Deforestation: People are cutting down trees in the cloud forests. This happens to make space for farms, cattle ranches, or to get wood. When trees are cut, the forest disappears, and the frogs lose their homes.
- Infrastructure Development: New roads, buildings, and other human structures are being built in these mountain areas. This also destroys the frog's natural habitat.
- Chytridiomycosis: This is a serious disease that affects amphibians all over the world. It's caused by a type of fungus. Scientists are studying if this disease is also harming Schmidt's mountain brook frog.
Because of these threats, the Schmidt's mountain brook frog is considered a "Near Threatened" species by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). This means it could become endangered if efforts are not made to protect it and its home.
