Sinharaja shrub frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sinharaja shrub frog |
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Philautus simba Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda, 2005 |
Pseudophilautus simba is a tiny frog known as the Sinharaja shrub frog. It belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, which are sometimes called "moss frogs" or "tree frogs." This special frog lives only in Sri Lanka. It has only been found in the Morningside Forest Reserve, which is right next to the famous Sinharaja Forest Reserve in southern Sri Lanka.
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About the Sinharaja Shrub Frog
This small frog is truly tiny! Adult males are about 12.6 mm (0.50 in) long from snout to vent. Females are a bit larger, measuring between 14.5–15.6 mm (0.57–0.61 in). That's about the size of a fingernail!
What Does It Look Like?
The Sinharaja shrub frog has a long body. Its head is rounded on top, and its snout looks flat when seen from the side. It has clear, oval-shaped eardrums, called tympanums.
The skin on its snout and the back of its body is smooth. However, the top and sides of its head have small, bumpy warts. The lower sides of its body feel grainy. Its throat and chest are smooth, but its belly and the underside of its thighs are rough and granular.
Special Features
This frog has tiny, undeveloped webbing on its fingers and toes. This means the skin between its digits is not fully formed. Male frogs have vocal slits inside their mouths, which they use to make sounds. However, they do not have a special "nuptial pad" on their thumbs, which some male frogs use to hold onto females during mating.
Where the Sinharaja Shrub Frog Lives
The Sinharaja shrub frog lives in montane forests, which are forests found in mountains. It also lives in small forest patches within cardamom plantations. These areas are about 1,060 m (3,480 ft) asl, which is quite high up!
Its Home Environment
This frog spends its life on the ground, hiding among the fallen leaves. It prefers forests where the tree canopy is very thick, blocking out much of the sunlight. This creates a cool, damp environment perfect for a leaf-litter dwelling frog.
Protecting the Sinharaja Shrub Frog
The Sinharaja shrub frog is a very rare species. It is considered to be critically endangered. This means it faces a very high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
Threats to Its Survival
The biggest danger to this frog is habitat loss. Its forest home is shrinking because of several human activities:
- Farming: People are clearing forest land to grow crops.
- Fires: Forest fires can destroy large areas of its habitat.
- Mining: Illegal gemstone mining can damage the forest floor and water sources.
- Logging: Cutting down trees removes the frog's shelter and changes its environment.
- Human Settlements: As more people move into the area, more land is used for homes and villages.
Protecting these forests is key to saving the Sinharaja shrub frog and many other unique animals that call Sri Lanka home.
