Telmatobius ignavus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Telmatobius ignavus
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Telmatobiidae
Genus:	Telmatobius
Species:	T. ignavus
Binomial name
Telmatobius ignavus Barbour and Noble, 1920
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The Piura water frog, officially known as Telmatobius ignavus, is a special type of frog. It belongs to a group of frogs called Telmatobiidae. This frog lives only in one specific mountain area in Peru. This area is called the Cordillera de Huancabamba. It is an isolated mountain ridge within the Huancabamba Depression in the Department of Piura.

What Does the Piura Water Frog Look Like?

Male Piura water frogs can grow up to about 7.5 centimeters (3 inches) long. Female frogs can be a bit bigger, reaching about 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches). Their head is usually wider than it is long. It is also about the same width as their body.

Most frogs in this group from northern Peru do not have a visible eardrum. But the Piura water frog does! It has a special eardrum, called a tympanum. It is mostly hidden by a fold of skin near its ear.

Its toes have webbing, like a duck's foot. This helps it swim. But its fingers do not have webbing. The frog's skin feels smooth. Its back, or dorsum, is usually a dull tan, olive-tan, or brown color. It often has dark brown, olive-brown, or olive-green spots. The frog's belly, or venter, is dull tan, dull gray, or grayish brown. Its eyes have a bronze-colored iris with black lines.

Where Does the Piura Water Frog Live?

The Piura water frog is a semi-aquatic animal. This means it lives both in and out of water. You can find these frogs under rocks in streams and in pools of water nearby. They live in very humid mountain forests and humid lower mountain forests. They can also be found in grasslands. Sometimes, they might even live in dry lower mountain forests. These frogs live at high elevations, from about 1,840 to 3,080 meters (6,037 to 10,105 feet) above sea level.

The baby frogs, called tadpoles, live in rocky and muddy pools. They also live in rocky streams. The Piura water frog eats different kinds of insects.

Why Is the Piura Water Frog Important?

This frog can handle some changes to its home. But only if the water stays clean. However, it is an uncommon species. Scientists believe its numbers are going down.

There are a few reasons why this frog might be disappearing:

• Habitat Loss: People's farming activities can harm the streams where the frogs live. This makes their water less clean.
• Chytrid Fungus: A serious frog disease called chytridiomycosis is a threat. This disease is caused by a fungus that harms amphibians.
• Human Use: Sometimes, these frogs are caught by people. They are used for food or for traditional medicines.

The Piura water frog is a protected species in Peru. This means it is illegal to harm them. However, it is not known to live in any special protected areas.