Cinnamon frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cinnamon frog |
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The Cinnamon Frog, also known as Nyctixalus pictus, is a special type of frog. It gets its name from its reddish-brown color, which looks a bit like cinnamon. People also call it the cinnamon treefrog or white-spotted treefrog because of its unique look. This frog belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, which are often called "moss frogs" or "bush frogs." You can find these interesting creatures in Southeast Asia. They live in places like the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, and parts of big islands such as Borneo and Sumatra.
Where Do Cinnamon Frogs Live?
The Cinnamon Frog lives in several countries across Southeast Asia. You can find them in the Malay Peninsula, which includes southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. They also live on the islands of Sumatra (in Indonesia) and Borneo (which is shared by Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia). Lastly, they are found in the Philippines.
What Does a Cinnamon Frog Look Like?
Cinnamon Frogs are not very big. They usually grow to about 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) long from their snout to their bottom. Male frogs are a little smaller than females. They have a pointed snout and their eardrum, called the tympanum, is easy to see.
Their legs are long, and their fingers and toes have large, round tips. These tips help them grip surfaces. Their fingers do not have webbing, but their toes are partly webbed. This helps them move around in their habitat. The most striking feature is their color: they are usually brown or reddish-brown with bright white or yellow spots all over their body.
Cinnamon Frog Homes and How We Protect Them
Cinnamon Frogs like to live in forests. They prefer both old, untouched forests (primary forests) and forests that have grown back after being cut down (secondary forests). You can find them in the lower parts of trees and shrubs. They usually live in areas below 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) above sea level. However, in Borneo, they can be found even higher, up to 1,650 meters (about 5,400 feet).
Their babies, called tadpoles, grow up in special places. These include holes in trees that fill with water, or even inside rotting logs.
Even though Cinnamon Frogs are found in many places, they are not very common. Their homes are being lost because forests are being cut down. This happens for things like farming and getting wood. Luckily, some of their habitats are in protected areas. For example, in Singapore, they are only found in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Protecting these areas helps keep the Cinnamon Frog safe.
