Sylvirana mortenseni facts for kids
The Koh Chang Island frog or Mortensen's frog (Sylvirana mortenseni) is a type of frog found in parts of Southeast Asia. Scientists have spotted this frog in countries like Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. It can live in places as high as 800 meters above sea level, which is like climbing a very tall mountain!
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About the Koh Chang Island Frog
The Koh Chang Island frog is an amphibian. This means it can live both in water and on land. Like most frogs, it has smooth, moist skin and strong back legs for jumping. Its skin color helps it blend in with its surroundings, like leaves and mud. This is called camouflage and helps it hide from predators.
Where It Lives
This frog lives in tropical areas of Southeast Asia. It prefers places with lots of water, like forests near streams, rivers, or ponds. The high humidity and warm temperatures in these regions are perfect for frogs. They need water to keep their skin moist and for their young to grow.
What It Eats
The Koh Chang Island frog is a carnivore, meaning it eats other animals. It mostly eats small insects and other tiny creatures it can catch. Frogs are known for their long, sticky tongues, which they use to quickly snatch up their prey.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Like all frogs, the Koh Chang Island frog goes through a process called metamorphosis. This means it changes a lot as it grows up.
First, the female frog lays her eggs, usually in water. These eggs are often laid in a jelly-like mass. After a while, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles live completely in the water and look more like tiny fish than frogs. They breathe through gills and eat algae or small bits of plants.
As tadpoles grow, they start to develop legs. First, their back legs appear, then their front legs. Their tails slowly get shorter, and their gills change into lungs. This allows them to breathe air. Eventually, they become small froglets, which are like miniature adult frogs. They then leave the water and begin to live on land, though they still need to stay near water to keep their skin moist.
How Scientists Study Them
Scientists study frogs like the Koh Chang Island frog to learn more about them. They want to understand where these frogs live, what they eat, and how they reproduce. This information helps them protect the frogs and their habitats. The Koh Chang Island frog is currently listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN Red List. This means it might become endangered in the future if its habitat is not protected.
