Williamson's marsupial frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Williamson's marsupial frog |
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The Williamson's marsupial frog (Gastrotheca williamsoni) is a special kind of frog. It belongs to a group of frogs called Hemiphractidae. This frog is only found in one small area: San Esteban, a place in north-central coastal Venezuela.
Scientists do not know much about this frog. They only found one of them in 1920. No one has seen another one since then!
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Why Is It Called Williamson's Frog?
The frog's scientific name, williamsoni, is a tribute to E. B. Williamson. He was an entomologist (someone who studies insects) who found the very first frog specimen.
Mr. Williamson was part of a trip to Venezuela in 1920. This trip was called "the University of Michigan-Williamson expedition."
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What Does This Frog Look Like?
Scientists described this frog based on only one animal. This single frog was an adult female. She measured about 53 millimeters (about 2 inches) from her snout to her bottom.
Her head was wider than it was long. It was also narrower than her body. You could see her eardrum, which was oval shaped.
The tips of her fingers were a bit bigger than the tips of her toes. Her fingers had some webbing between them. Her toes, however, were fully webbed.
Her back skin felt a little bumpy. But the skin underneath her body felt very bumpy. The frog that was found was preserved in alcohol. It was reddish-gray on its back. It also had some darker spots and marks.
Its sides were light with dark stripes that leaned forward a bit. Her throat was yellowish-white. Her belly and the inside of her legs were grayish-yellow.
Reproduction and Young Frogs
The female frog that was found had a pouch filled with young frogs. These young frogs were almost ready to come out. One of the baby frogs measured about 12 millimeters (less than half an inch) long.
Where Does This Frog Live?
The only Williamson's marsupial frog ever found was on a leaf of a Heliconia plant. This type of frog naturally lives in tropical montane forests. These are forests found on mountains in warm areas.
Why Is This Frog in Danger?
The places where this frog lives are being threatened. People are clearing the forests for farms. They are also cutting down trees for wood. New buildings and roads are also taking away the frog's home.
Part of the frog's home is inside the San Esteban National Park. This park helps protect the area.
See also
