Banhado frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banhado frog |
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The Banhado frog (scientific name: Scythrophrys sawayae) is a special kind of frog. It's the only species in its group, called Scythrophrys. This small frog lives only in the Serra do Mar mountain range in southeastern Brazil. You can find it in the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina.
Banhado frogs like to live in both new and old forests. They lay their eggs in temporary pools of water. Even though they are spread out, you can find many of them in certain areas. Unfortunately, their homes are shrinking because of habitat loss. An American scientist named Doris Mable Cochran first described this frog in 1953. She studied frogs and other reptiles and amphibians from South America.
What Does the Banhado Frog Look Like?
The Banhado frog is a small, round frog. It usually grows to be about 17 millimeters (0.67 inches) long. Male frogs are a little smaller than females. It has a pointed snout and small bumps above its eyes. Its legs are thin, and its toes have tiny, disc-shaped pads.
These frogs can be different colors! About half of them are dark brown. The rest are either green or light tan. Their legs are yellowish-brown. They also have a light-colored fold of skin that separates their back from their sides.
Where Does the Banhado Frog Live?
Banhado frogs spend their lives on the forest floor. They hide among the fallen leaves. Their body shape and changing colors make them very hard to spot. This helps them stay safe from animals that might want to eat them.
When a Banhado frog feels scared, it has a clever trick. It stretches its legs out stiffly. This makes the frog look bigger than it really is. This pose, along with looking like a dead leaf, helps it avoid predators. Another frog from Brazil's rainforests, Proceratophrys boiei, uses a similar defense.
Is the Banhado Frog in Danger?
The Banhado frog lives only in the Serra do Mar mountains in Brazil. This area is between 800 and 1000 meters (2,600 to 3,300 feet) high. Its home is not very big, probably less than 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 square miles). However, where it lives, it is quite common.
Even though it doesn't live in any special protected areas, the forests where it lives are mostly untouched. Scientists believe that its population is not decreasing very quickly. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Banhado frog as a species of "least concern". This means it is not currently in great danger.
