The Darwin Frog, named after Charles Darwin, is native to Chile and Argentina forests. What sets it apart is the male’s vocal sacs carry developing tadpoles.
To reproduce, the male Darwin Frog calls loudly for a female. A male leads the female to mossy shelter for breeding. The female deposits a clutch of up to 40 eggs into leaf litter. The male guards and fertilizes them until tadpoles move inside the eggs. Then the male carries them in his vocal sacs until they metamorphose into froglets. Darwin’s Frog feeds on insects and hides from predators.
Deforestation and an infectious chytrid fungus threaten Darwin’s Frog, causing worrisome population declines. Conservationists classify it as endangered. Locals call it the “cowboy frog” for its vocalizations resembling cowboy whistles. Charles Darwin first described it in 1834.
What are the unique traits of Darwin’s frog?
Darwin’s frog is a small, pointed-snout frog named after Charles Darwin. It has a unique breeding habit where the male carries the tadpoles in his vocal sac. Darwin discovered this brownish or greenish-brown frog on the island of Lemuy. It lives in Chile and Argentina among leaf litter by streams. It eats small insects. The male picks up the large eggs laid by the female and incubates them in his vocal sac. He keeps them there until they hatch into tadpoles and emerge. Darwin’s frog is endangered due to habitat loss and a fungus disease. The Northern subspecies has not been seen since 1981 and may be extinct.
What is Darwin’s frog called?
Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii), named after Charles Darwin, is a Chilean/Argentinian frog. It was discovered by Darwin during his voyage on HMS Beagle to Chile. In 1841, Duméril and Bibron described and named it. This frog inhabits forests and streams. Deforestation decreases its wild population. Climate change and radiation also threaten its survival, making it a vulnerable species.
Males occur on various substrates, often partially green. The throat is brownish, the remaining underparts black with unique white blotches. Males can change color in captivity. Females reach 4.5 cm, males 3 cm. Their flat body shape and pointy snout resemble dead leaves, camouflaging them.
Darwin first saw them in Chile in 1834. Surveys between 2008-2012 found them at only 36 fragmented southern locations, averaging 33 frogs each. Rodents, snakes and birds eat them.
How do Darwin’s frogs protect themselves from predators?
Frogs protect themselves by startling predators, screaming, urinating, and puffing up bodies with air to appear larger. Vocal sacks attract mates in spring or scare predators. The Darwin Frog shows unique reproductive strategies. Mating season commences with rainy season, aligning increased food availability and breeding grounds.
Some frogs use cognitive predator evasion, large brains and strong legs. For species with high predation pressure this strategy takes too much energy. Effective camouflage to avoid detection may be better. Evolutionary biologists reveal how these survival strategies evolved in frogs.
Darwin’s Frog camouflages to avoid predators. This frog inflates its body to appear larger and more intimidating. Male Darwin’s frogs raise young in mouths, protecting them from predators until matured, when fathers regurgitate them. But a deadly fungus has helped push one species to probable extinction, and declined second variety.
In order to protect themselves, some frogs use bright colors to warn dangerous and poisonous. Many frogs secrete poison when attacked that makes predator spit them before damage. Some frogs use sounds like bellowing or screaming to scare predators.
Frogs eggs covered with glycoprotein to keep moist. Frog lays eggs in water to prevent drying up. Frog bellies absorb water from leaves to hydrate jelly-coated eggs, protecting embryos from predators and infections.
Many frogs rely on camouflage to protect from predators, and arboreal species escape by hiding in trees. Red-eyed tree frogs escape predators by startling them then making an escape. Their predators: Bats, Snakes, Birds, Owls, Tarantulas, small Alligators. Red-eyed tree frogs not poisonous but very delicate.
Frogs defend themselves by puffing up bodies with air to look bigger and more imposing. Vocal sacks attract mates or scare predators. Intelligent ways to protect from reptile predation by startling, screaming, urinating.
Leaf-like frog almost invisible to predators. Moves 5 miles per hour. Solitary but gathers during mating from November-March. Male has vocal pouch producing bell-like calls and rearing young.
Discovered by Darwin on HMS Beagle trip to Chile. Habitat decreasing due to agriculture removing habitat and forcing south where more protected. Models show 40% decrease 1970-2010. Endangered due to habitat loss. Two zoos established breeding programs.
Predators include mammals, lizards, snakes, birds. Some killed not eaten by cats and motor vehicles. Named after Darwin. Found in Chile and Argentina forested areas to 3600ft elevation. Range reduced by habitat loss. Endangered but zoos have breeding programs.