Cuban toad
| Cuban toad | ||||||||||
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Cuban toad |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Peltophryne empusa | ||||||||||
| Cope , 1862 |
The Cuban toad ( Peltophryne empusa , Syn . : Bufo empusus ) is a 10 centimeter large frog that is only found scattered on the Caribbean island of Cuba .
Appearance
These animals have yellow-brown skin with dark brown spots and many warts. The belly is very light. The top of the head is somewhat lighter and has yellowish areas of skin. The limbs are very strong and have short claws.
habitat
The Cuban toad occurs in free areas covered with short grasses and low bushes. In Havana , it can also be found in parks, near bodies of water such as filled ditches or water tanks.
Way of life
In order to survive the dry season , the Cuban toad digs up to a meter deep in the soft soil. They leave these caves only with the dawn of dusk . It feeds on insects , their larvae , arachnids , mollusks and worms . Sometimes it comes out during the day, attracted by noises in front of its building.
Reproduction
The spawning season begins in the rainy season. The spawn is deposited in smaller areas of water such as ditches or ponds. The development time of the tadpoles is 6 weeks. After developing into a finished individual, they come out of the water and look for other moist areas.
Hazards and protective measures
The greatest threat is the destruction of their natural habitat as a result of agricultural use, the use of pesticides and the spread of the invasive species of the color catkin shrub Dichrostachys cinerea . Therefore, the IUCN classifies this species as ( Vulnerable ) endangered. To protect the species, protected areas have been designated in their natural range. There the invasive plant species Dichrostachys cinerea is combated.
literature
- Wildlife of America in color. Karl Müller Verlag, 1989, p. 136.
Web links
- Entry on AmphibiaWeb
- Peltophryne empusa inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019.3. Posted by: Blair Hedges, Luis Díaz, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2020.