Starry shrub frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Starry shrub frog |
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| Pseudophilautus stellatus is only known from the Peak Wilderness in central Sri Lanka | |
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The starry shrub frog (Pseudophilautus stellatus) is a special type of frog. It is also called Kelaart's starry shrub frog. This frog belongs to the family Rhacophoridae. It is found only in Sri Lanka, meaning it is endemic there.
For 156 years, people thought this frog had disappeared forever. But in 2009, it was found again! It was rediscovered in the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary in the Central Hills of Sri Lanka. Before this, scientists only knew about it from a lost original specimen. This specimen was described by Edward Frederick Kelaart way back in 1853. In 2013, a new main specimen, called a neotype, was chosen for the species.
What Does the Starry Shrub Frog Look Like?
The starry shrub frog is about 40–55 mm (1.6–2.2 in) long from its snout to its rear. Its head is slightly curved inwards on top. The front of its snout is rounded. The space between its eyes and between its nostrils is also curved inwards.
The area around its eyes is rounded. The part of its face between its eye and nostril is curved. You can barely see its eardrum, called the tympanum. It has small teeth on the roof of its mouth. Its tongue does not have a special bump.
Its fingers have small amounts of webbing. Its toes have webbing only at their base. Both its fingers and toes have large, flat discs at the ends. It also has small bumps on its hands and feet.
The skin on its snout, between its eyes, on the sides of its head, and on its back is slightly rough. The skin on its upper sides is also rough. The skin on its lower sides is rough or bumpy. Its throat feels slightly bumpy. The frog's body is a bright green color. It has pinkish-white spots with dark brown outlines. The sides of its body have dark brown stripes on a white background.
Where Does It Live and How Is It Protected?
Starry shrub frogs live in cloud forests. These forests are high up, between 1,540–1,679 m (5,052–5,509 ft) above sea level. They are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. These frogs live high up in the trees, usually 1–10 m (3 ft 3 in – 32 ft 10 in) above the ground.
This frog is very rare. It is only known to live in a small area, about 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) in total. The forest where it lives has been damaged by trees dying off. Also, new invasive species are a threat to its home.
People visiting the area and illegal gem mining also cause problems for the frogs. On top of that, tea plantations around the forest are growing bigger. This means less space for the starry shrub frog.
