Variable bush frog facts for kids
The variable bush frog (Raorchestes akroparallagi) is a small frog that lives in the Western Ghats mountains of India. It belongs to a family of frogs called Rhacophoridae. This frog is special because it is found only in this part of the world, in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Before it was officially named in 2009, people sometimes confused it with other similar frogs.
Quick facts for kids Variable bush frog |
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Philautus akroparallagi Biju and Bossuyt, 2009 |
What Does It Look Like?
Male variable bush frogs are quite small. They are about 19 to 22.5 millimeters (less than an inch) long from their snout to their bottom. Female frogs are a bit bigger, measuring about 26 to 27 millimeters.
Most of these frogs are green. However, their back (called the dorsum) can have many different colors and patterns. Even frogs from the same place can look very different! This is why they are called "variable." Their scientific name, akroparallagi, comes from Greek words meaning "extreme variation."
Life Cycle
The variable bush frog has a special way of growing up. Unlike many frogs, it does not have a free-swimming tadpole stage. Instead, the baby frogs develop completely inside their eggs. This is called direct development.
Male frogs call out to attract females for mating. Mating happens at night. A male and female frog will hold onto each other (this is called amplexus) and might move around before finding a good leaf. They then lay their eggs on the top side of the leaf.
Laying eggs can take several hours. A female frog lays between 20 and 41 white eggs. Each egg is about 4.4 millimeters wide. After about four weeks, tiny froglets hatch from the eggs. These little frogs are already fully formed and look like miniature adult frogs. The parents do not take care of their young after the eggs are laid.
Where Do They Live?
The variable bush frog is found only in the Western Ghats of India. It is quite common and can live in many different places, even areas that have been changed by humans. You can find them in evergreen forests, in plantations near the edges of forests, and even in plants along roadsides.
These frogs live at different heights, from about 180 meters (590 feet) to 1425 meters (4675 feet) above sea level. The IUCN (a group that checks on animals) does not consider this frog to be in danger of disappearing.
See also
In Spanish: Raorchestes akroparallagi para niños
