Tandy's sand frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tandy's sand frog |
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The Tandy's sand frog (Tomopterna tandyi) is a type of frog that belongs to the Pyxicephalidae family. You can find these frogs in parts of southern Africa, including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and southwestern Angola. They also live in inland Tanzania and Kenya. Scientists believe they might be found in even more places between these areas. The frog's special name, tandyi, honors Robert Mills Tandy. He was an American biologist, a scientist who studied reptiles and amphibians, and a photographer. He was also the person who first collected this type of frog for study.
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How Tandy's Sand Frog Looks
Tandy's sand frogs are not very big. An adult male frog, which was the first one studied in detail, was about 38 millimeters (about 1.5 inches) long from its snout to its bottom.
You can see its eardrum on the side of its head. Its fingers do not have any webbing, but its toes are partly webbed. This helps them move around.
The frog's back usually has patches of grey or olive green on a lighter background. It also has reddish-brown bumps, called warts, with black marks on them. Many of these frogs have a dark stripe between their eyes.
The Frog's Call
Male Tandy's sand frogs make a special sound to attract mates. This sound is a series of notes that repeat continuously. They can make about 7 to 8 notes every second! The main sound of their call is around 2700 to 2800 Hertz, which is a fairly high-pitched sound. This call is different from other similar frog species.
Where Tandy's Sand Frog Lives and How It Survives
Tandy's sand frogs live in dry areas like savannas, bushy lands, and grasslands. They can be found in places that are lower than 1,800 meters (about 5,900 feet) above sea level. You might even spot them in farm areas. They like loose, sandy soils where temporary ponds can form.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
These frogs come out of their burrows when the rainy season begins. They breed in shallow water that appears after rainfall, such as temporary pools, ditches, streams, and small dams. The female frogs lay their eggs in these rain-filled pools. The tadpoles, which are baby frogs, then grow and develop in these pools.
Tandy's sand frog is a very adaptable species. This means it can adjust well to different environments. It is quite common in many parts of the areas where it lives. Because it's so adaptable, it's not likely to face big threats, only small local problems. It probably lives in many protected natural areas too.
