Wrinkled toadlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wrinkled toadlet |
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The wrinkled toadlet (scientific name: Uperoleia rugosa) is a tiny frog that lives on the ground. It belongs to a frog family called Myobatrachidae. This special frog is found only in Australia, which means it is endemic there. People also call it by other names, like the small-headed toadlet, red-groined toadlet, or even the chubby gungan.
What They Look Like
The wrinkled toadlet is a small frog, but its size can change a lot. Frogs living near the eastern coast of Australia are smaller. Those living further inland are bigger. They can be from 1.8 to 3.2 centimeters long.
Their back (called the dorsal surface) is bumpy and can be grey or brown. It often has dark patterns. Their belly (called the ventral surface) is smooth and grey.
These frogs have special glands that are quite large for their size. These are called parotoid glands and inguinal glands. They are usually yellowish. You can also spot bright orange patches behind each knee and in their groin area.
When they are young, the tadpoles are mostly black. They have a clear gold patch right behind each eye. As they grow, this gold color spreads. Eventually, the tadpole becomes a mix of grey and gold.
The wrinkled toadlet has hands and feet that are mostly not webbed. Also, their eardrum (called the tympanum) is not easy to see.
Life and Habits
The wrinkled toadlet lives in different types of places. These include dry shrublands and dry lowland grasslands in warm areas. They also live in forests and in freshwater marshes that sometimes dry up.
Male toadlets make calls from flooded grasslands. They do this at any time of the year, except during winter. Their call sounds like a high-pitched click.
When frogs mate, it's called Amplexus. For wrinkled toadlets, this happens in the flooded grassland. The male fertilizes each egg one by one. After that, the female dives underwater. She attaches each egg to a different object that is underwater.
