Madagascar Rain Frog - Saczoo...Madagascar Rain Frogs are not particularly vocal and most calls are...
2
Scaphiophryne madagascariensis Other Names Green Rain Frog Range Central Madagascar Habitat Rainforest, montane forest, grassland, riparian and farmland Description A small, brown to grayish-green frog with short legs, a pointy snout and bumpy skin. Their sides are dark brown, the belly is white, and the undersides of the thighs are red or purple. Average Size Length: .8 – 1.2 in. Weight: 5 – 8 g. Lifespan In the wild: Unknown In captivity: Up to 5 years Diet In the wild: Ants and other small insects Incubation Estimated at 14 – 21 days Sexual Maturity 12 – 14 months Clutch Size 200 – 400 eggs Predators Fossa, snakes and birds of prey Population Status Vulnerable Behavior This small rain frog is nocturnal (active at night) during the rainy season and likely spends the dry season buried underground. It forages for food on the ground and in vegetation for small insects using a well-developed sense of sight. These frogs are generally solitary, but not highly territorial and will allow other frogs to remain nearby, especially when prey is abundant. Madagascar Rain Frogs are not particularly vocal and most calls are from males trying to attract mates. To make his call, the male sucks in air to Reproduction and Breeding Breeding season for this species in the wild coincides with the rainy season, usually December through February. When the heavy summer rains soak the earth, males of this species group together at newly created pools and swamps making raucous calls to attract females. This can be a dangerous time for the male frogs, because they are not only attracting females with their calls, but predators as well. In addition, while the males are calling and their bodies are full of air, they cannot dive into the water to escape. When a female approaches a male, he calls even faster before climbing onto her back to mate, grasping near her front legs as she lays several hundred small eggs. After a few days to weeks, the eggs hatch into tadpoles which are almost completely see-through and must sift food out of the water to eat. The tadpoles change into froglets in a few weeks, not long before their watering hole dries up for another year. Conservation Like many species on the Island of Madagascar, loss of suitable breeding habitat to agricultural activities and encroachment by human settlements They are currently listed as Near Threatened by IUCN (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature) because their range of occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, and its breeding habitat is probably in decline. If these conditions continue, this species may qualify for a Vulnerable listing with this agency. Sacramento Zoological Society 2 2 8 5 9 A C , o t n e m a r c a S , . r D k r a P d n a L t s e W 0 3 9 3 g r o . o o z c a s @ o f n i : E 7 8 8 5 - 4 6 2 - 6 1 9 : F 8 8 8 5 - 8 0 8 - 6 1 9 : T www.saczoo.org Madagascar Rain Frog Scaphiophryne madagascariensis Amphibian
Transcript of Madagascar Rain Frog - Saczoo...Madagascar Rain Frogs are not particularly vocal and most calls are...
Scaphiophryne madagascariensis
Other NamesGreen Rain Frog
RangeCentral Madagascar
HabitatRainforest, montane forest, grassland, riparian and farmland
DescriptionA small, brown to grayish-green frog with short legs, a pointy snout and bumpy skin. Their sides are dark brown, the belly is white, and the undersides of the thighs are red or purple.
Average SizeLength: .8 – 1.2 in.Weight: 5 – 8 g.
LifespanIn the wild: UnknownIn captivity: Up to 5 years
DietIn the wild: Ants and other small insects
IncubationEstimated at 14 – 21 days
Sexual Maturity12 – 14 months
Clutch Size200 – 400 eggs
PredatorsFossa, snakes and birds of prey
Population StatusVulnerable
BehaviorThis small rain frog is nocturnal (active at night) during the rainy season and likely spends the dry season buried underground. It forages for food on the ground and in vegetation for small insects using a well-developed sense of sight. These frogs are generally solitary, but not highly territorial and will allow other frogs to remain nearby, especially when prey is abundant.Madagascar Rain Frogs are not particularly vocal and most calls are from males trying to attract mates. To make his call, the male sucks in air to
Reproduction and BreedingBreeding season for this species in the wild coincides with the rainy season, usually December through February. When the heavy summer rains soak the earth, males of this species group together at newly created pools and swamps making raucous calls to attract females. This can be a dangerous time for the male frogs, because they are not only attracting females with their calls, but predators as well. In addition, while the males are calling and their bodies are full of air, they cannot dive into the water to escape.When a female approaches a male, he calls even faster before climbing onto her back to mate, grasping near her front legs as she lays several hundred small eggs. After a few days to weeks, the eggs hatch into tadpoles which are almost completely see-through and must sift food out of the water to eat. The tadpoles change into froglets in a few weeks, not long before their watering hole dries up for another year.
ConservationLike many species on the Island of Madagascar, loss of suitable breeding habitat to agricultural activities and encroachment by human settlements
They are currently listed as Near Threatened by IUCN (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature) because their range of occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, and its breeding habitat is probably in decline. If these conditions continue, this species may qualify for a Vulnerable listing with this agency.
Sacramento Zoological Society 22859 AC ,otnemarcaS ,.rD kraP dnaL tseW 0393 gro.oozcas@ofni :E 7885-462-619 :F 8885-808-619 :T
www.saczoo.org
Madagascar Rain Frog Scaphiophryne madagascariensis
Amphibian
Sacramento Zoological Society 3930 West Land Park Dr., Sacramento, CA 95822
T: 916-808-5888 F: 916-264-5887 E: [email protected]
www.saczoo.org
Madagascar Rain Frog
Amazing FactsThis frog is one of the smallest on the island of Madagascar.
This species was originally identified in 1882.
The word amphibian is derived from Greek and means ‘two lives’, referring to the fact that most amphibians spend their larval stage as a tadpole in the water and their adult stage on land.
