TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Microhylidae

Genus /species: Scaphriophryne gottlebei

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Roundish, with a distinctive white, red, green and black pattern on the back and a grey belly. Adapted for both the underground and climbing lifestyles,S. gottlebei has horny tubercles on the underside of the hind feet for burrowing, and claws on the forefeet for clinging to vertical canyon walls. Length 20mm (7/8 inches) to 30mm (1.2 inches).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Madagascar in open rocky dry forest and canyons amongst stone crevices. Despite its webbed hind feet, the painted burrowing frog is a poor swimmer. S. gottlebei is thought to climb only to escape drowning in flash flood water by finding small holes to rest in within the canyon walls of its habitat.

DIET IN THE WILD: Insects.

REPRODUCTION: Tadpoles mature in rocky pools eating detritus.

 

 

Madagascar rainforest

References

Encyclopedia of Life  eol.org/pages/1019833/details

IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/details/57998/0

Ron’s flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608456457315/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-I4