Voiceless treefrog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Voiceless treefrog |
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The Sarcohyla siopela, also known as the voiceless treefrog or mute treefrog, is a special kind of frog. It belongs to the Hylidae family, which includes many treefrogs. This frog is found only in Mexico, specifically on the western side of the Cofre de Perote Mountain. This mountain is part of the Sierra Madre Oriental in central Veracruz. Sadly, scientists worry that this unique frog might already be extinct.
What's in a Name?
The name siopela comes from an ancient Greek word, siopelos. This word means "silent." The frog was given this name because it doesn't have a voice. Unlike many other frogs, it cannot make croaking sounds.
What Does It Look Like?
Adult male voiceless treefrogs are about 47 to 50 millimeters long. That's about the length of a few paperclips! Females are a bit longer, from 45 to 53 millimeters. Their snout, which is like their nose area, is flat at the end.
This frog's ear drum, called the tympanum, is hard to see. Its fingers have only tiny bits of webbing between them. However, its toes have a good amount of webbing, which helps it move in water.
The frog's back, or dorsum, can be pale green or olive green. It might have darker green or black spots and lines. Some frogs are even pinkish-tan with dark brown or black spots. Young frogs are usually a plain pale green color.
Male frogs have a special "spikethumb" called a prepollex. It's big and flat and has small spines. This helps them hold onto females during mating. Remember, these frogs don't have vocal cords, so they are truly mute!
Where Does It Live and Why Is It Disappearing?
The voiceless treefrog lives in dry pine forests. It can only be found in mountain streams, hiding in cracks and under rocks. These frogs live at very high elevations, between 2,500 and 2,550 meters above sea level. That's higher than many tall mountains!
At night, these frogs would sit on rocks and branches near waterfalls. During the day, they would hide in small cracks and under rocks behind the cascades.
The Sarcohyla siopela used to be very common. But since 2010, no one has seen one for over 10 years. This is true even though scientists have searched in places where they used to live. One stream where they were first found has completely dried up. This happened because the water was moved for other uses.
Scientists think a frog disease called chytridiomycosis might also be causing their disappearance. This disease affects amphibians around the world. The area where these frogs live is inside the Cofre de Perote National Park. This park helps protect the natural environment.
