Vietnamese mossy frog - Theloderma corticale
Little tip : take a look at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's website, they have pictures of Vietnamese mossy frogs on there that are so freaking cute ! They look like proper little models, it is so adorable !
@hispaatra spam-tagging you a bit, but this might interest you :D
Description
The common name "mossy frog" arises from the fact that it greatly resembles a clump of moss thanks to their green color, black spots, and visible tubercules and spines. Their exterior resembles moss growing on rock, and forms an effective form of camouflage. They hide in basins of water found in crevices with only their eyes protruding to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings. As a result, they're almost impossible to spot when fixed.
They have large soft underbelly and adhesive toe pads, and can jump. Males have a pronounced breeding callus on the base of their inside finger. They measure about 61 millimetres. The females will grow larger than the males and can reach sizes of 8 to 9 centimetres, while the males tend to be smaller and thinner. This species will curl into a ball when frightened, and play dead.
Behaviour - diet, sleep habits, communication
Diet - Mossy frogs hunt large insects such as crickets and cockroaches. But they are also known to feed on earthworms.
Sleep habits - Vietnamese mossy frogs are active at night, and presumably passive during most of the day time.
Communication - Vietnamese mossy frogs can throw their voices up to 3 to 4 meters, making it extremely difficult to find them in the wild. To explain this further, because of the large range, it is hard to pin-point the exact source of the sound.
Reproduction
Vietnamese mossy frogs breed in rock cavities where water has flooded the floor. A clutch of eight to ten eggs is deposited above the water to protect them from aquatic predators. These eggs hatch in seven to fourteen days and the newly hatched tadpoles drop into the water directly below them. Metamorphosis from tadpole to frog takes about three months.
Distribution and habitat
As its name suggests, the Vietnamese mossy frog lives in Vietnam, specifically in northern Vietnam, a region defined by limestone cliffs and evergreen rainforests. It is also known to be found in south-central Laos, and southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan).
Its natural habitats are primarily evergreen rainforests and subtropical forest where they are found in flooded caves and in the banks of rocky mountain streams at elevations of 700 to 1,000 meters. This semi-aquatic species spends much of the time hiding in the water under rocks and floating plants. They will also attach themselves to rock crevices, appearing to be moss.
Conservation
Its habitat is threatened by forest loss. It is also collected for the international pet trade. Like many amphibians, the Vietnamese mossy frog is vulnerable to the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Nonetheless, the conservation of this species is classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
