Serranobatrachus ruthveni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Serranobatrachus ruthveni |
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Serranobatrachus ruthveni is a special kind of frog that belongs to the Craugastoridae family. It lives only in a specific part of northern Colombia, on the northwestern side of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in the Magdalena Department. This frog is also known as the Ruthven's robber frog. It was named after an American scientist who studied reptiles and amphibians, Alexander Grant Ruthven.
What Does the Ruthven's Robber Frog Look Like?
These frogs are not very big. Adult male frogs are about 25 to 32 millimeters (1 to 1.3 inches) long. Female frogs are a bit larger, measuring about 31 to 46 millimeters (1.2 to 1.8 inches) from their snout to their rear end.
Their head is almost as wide as their body. The front part of their face, called the snout, is long and rounded. You can see their eardrum, which is called the tympanum.
Their fingers and toes are long and thin. They have small, flat pads on them that are wider than they are long. These frogs do not have any webbing between their fingers or toes.
The back of the frog can be pinkish-tan, gray, or light orange. It often has darker marks. There is a dark stripe that runs from their eye area to above their eardrum. The underside of the frog is a dull white with gray spots. Male frogs have a special internal vocal sac that helps them make sounds.
Where Does This Frog Live?
The Ruthven's robber frog lives in moist forests and rocky mountain areas. You can find it high up in the mountains, between 1,500 and 3,800 meters (about 4,900 to 12,500 feet) above sea level. It is more common in the very high mountain areas, which are called sub-páramo and páramo.
These frogs like to be near streams and the plants that grow along them. Unlike many other frogs, their babies do not hatch as tadpoles that swim freely. Instead, they develop directly into small frogs without a tadpole stage.
How Is This Frog Protected?
This frog is facing threats because its home is being lost and damaged. This happens mainly because of farming activities. People clear forests and mountain areas to grow crops using slash-and-burn methods or to raise cattle.
Luckily, Serranobatrachus ruthveni lives in some protected places. It can be found in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park. It also lives in a special nature reserve called El Dorado, which is managed by the Fundación ProAves.
