Young Itombwe forest treefrog facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Young Itombwe forest treefrog
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Clade:	Leptopelis
Species:	L. anebos
Binomial name
Leptopelis anebos Portillo & Greenbaum, 2014
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The young Itombwe forest treefrog (Leptopelis anebos) is a type of frog. It belongs to the Leptopelis group of frogs. You can find this frog in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congo. Scientists Portillo and Greenbaum first described it in 2014. This frog looks a lot like two other frogs: L. modestus and L. karissimbensis.

This treefrog is small to medium-sized. It measures about 31.9 to 38.9 millimeters long from its snout to its bottom. One female frog was found to be 48.7 millimeters long. It is usually brown. About one-third of its hands have webbing between the fingers. It lives in mountain forests. These forests are found at high places, from 1897 to 2227 meters above sea level. This area is called the Itombwe Plateau in East Africa. One adult female frog was found near a mountain forest in Bilimba.

What Does the Young Itombwe Forest Treefrog Look Like?

The Leptopelis anebos is a medium-sized frog. Its skin feels bumpy, like tiny grains. The skin on its belly is also bumpy and has a similar color. Its nostrils are on top of its head. This frog is special because it does not have heel spurs. Instead, it has marks below its eyes. Its toes also have full webbing.

How is it Different from Other Frogs?

The color of its back helps tell it apart. Its back is tan or cream. This is different from L. karissimbensis, which has a gray or reddish-brown back. The sound of its call is not as high-pitched as other frogs. Also, its vocal sac, which helps it make sounds, is gray. Other frogs like L. modestus have blue or green vocal sacs.

Details of its Body

Each finger has small, round bumps called subarticular tubercles. These are easy to see. There are also round subarticular tubercles under each toe. Its back is grayish-cream with small cream spots. You might see a faint brownish pattern behind its eyes. Its eyes have a thin black pattern on the brown part. Some frogs have brown patches around their eyes. They also have patches above their arms and legs. White spots can be seen on their sides. Its arms have four gray stripes. Its legs have three faint brownish bands. Male frogs are usually smaller than females. However, scientists need to study more frogs to be sure.

Where Does the Young Itombwe Forest Treefrog Live?

The Leptopelis anebos lives in wet areas, grasslands, and forests. These places are in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo. It has been found in a few spots, up to 2227 meters high.

What Threats Does it Face?

This frog is in danger. It has been listed as an Endangered animal since 2016. This means there are not many of them left. The biggest danger to this frog is deforestation. This is when forests are cut down. Other dangers include mining, agriculture (farming), and cattle ranching. These activities destroy the frog's home. A sickness caused by a chytrid fungus might also be a problem for these frogs.