Tree toad
| Tree toad | ||||||||||||
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Tree toad ( Pedostibes hosii ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Pedostibes hosii | ||||||||||||
| ( Boulenger , 1892) |
The tree toad ( Pedostibes hosii ) belongs to the genus Pedostibes within the toad family (Bufonidae). Similar to tree frogs, the frog, which is widespread in Southeast Asia, has more or less pronounced finger discs, which indicates its climbing way of life.
features
Tree toads of the species Pedostibes hosii are up to 6.5 cm long as males and up to 10 cm long as females and have a very short snout. On the back the skin shows characteristic small "warts"; behind the eyes are the typical toad parotids . The animals are greenish-brown to black in color and have yellow spots, especially on the flanks and on the limbs. Some females are tinged with purple. The males have a throat-based sound vesicle and develop oestrus on their fingers during spawning time .
Habitat and behavior
Tree toads are nocturnal and feed on insects, especially ants. They live on land outside of the breeding season, usually on bushes and trees of the rainforest, along larger rivers. The young animals stay on the ground at first and gradually start climbing. During the breeding season, the toads lay numerous egg strings in clean running waters. There the tadpoles develop to metamorphosis .
distribution
The tree toad Pedostibes hosii occurs on the Malay Peninsula (with the extreme south of Thailand ) as well as on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo . In some areas it still occurs frequently; Overall, however, the stocks are considered to be in decline. The species is unable to adapt to rapidly changing habitat conditions, such as those caused by anthropogenic environmental changes (land use, water pollution, forest destruction, etc.).
literature
- The large picture encyclopedia with over 2000 species. Publisher Dorling Kindersley.
