Taruga fastigo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taruga fastigo |
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Polypedates fastigo Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 2001 |
Taruga fastigo is a special type of frog that belongs to the family Rhacophoridae. It is found only in Sri Lanka, making it an endemic species. This means it lives naturally nowhere else in the world! Scientists first described this frog in 2001. Before that, people sometimes confused it with another frog called Taruga eques.
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What's in a Name?
The name fastigo comes from a Latin word. It means "sharpened" or "pointed." This name was chosen because this frog has a very pointed snout.
Meet the Taruga fastigo Frog
How Big Are They?
Adult male Taruga fastigo frogs are about 35 to 40 millimeters (1.4 to 1.6 inches) long. This measurement is taken from their snout to their bottom (vent). Females are larger, measuring about 55 to 64 millimeters (2.2 to 2.5 inches).
What Do They Look Like?
These frogs have a pointed snout. The area between their eyes and nostrils, called the canthus rostralis, is sharp. You can easily see their eardrum, which is called the tympanum. There's also a clear fold of skin above the eardrum.
Their fingers and toes have special sticky pads, called discs. These help them climb. Their fingers are not webbed, but their toes are. Their skin is mostly smooth. However, it feels bumpy on their belly and the underside of their upper legs. They also have white bumps around their bottom and on their lower thighs.
Colors and Markings
The frog's back can be brown or olive green. It often has a dark brown, hourglass-shaped pattern that isn't fully complete. A black line runs along their side, connecting their armpit to their groin. The sharp ridge on their face and the fold above their eardrum are red. Their lips have black edges. The underside of their body is white or light yellow.
About the Tadpoles
A fully grown tadpole (before it turns into a frog) is about 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) long. Its body alone is about 17 millimeters (0.7 inches) long.
Where They Live and How We Protect Them
Their Home Environment
The only known group of Taruga fastigo lives in a mountain tropical moist forest. This forest is about 1,060 meters (3,478 feet) above sea level. These frogs are arboreal, meaning they live in trees and bushes. Adults are usually found on twigs and leaves, up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) off the ground.
They often live near shallow, still pools of water. Scientists believe they lay their eggs in these pools, possibly in a foam nest. This is because tadpoles have been found there.
Protecting This Rare Frog
Taruga fastigo is a very rare species. Its home is shrinking and getting damaged. This is a big problem for the frogs. Even though they live in the Morningside Forest Reserve, the area is still affected by human activities. Protecting their forest home is very important to help these unique frogs survive.
