Annatjie
Maree (U25) recently came across an interesting little animal in her garden
called a Banded
Rubber Frog (Phrynomantis
bifasciatus). She promptly took the two pictures below.
This
interesting little frog is also known as the Red-banded Crevice Creeper because it seeks out any tight space
or crevice in which it could tuck its tiny body to seek shelter for the day.
And then it is also called the Fire Walking Frog due to
its preference for walking, instead of hopping, to get where it needs to go.
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Also known as the Red-banded Crevice Creeper |
Not
only is this little frog quite beautiful, it has also got some unique
features that make it especially interesting. Its vivid coloration alerts
predators that this is a poisonous frog. Although normal handling of this frog
is generally safe for humans, one runs the risk of getting poisoned if one has an
open cut or scratch on one’s hands. Symptoms of a poisoning include painful
swelling, difficulty in breathing, headache, increased heart rate, and nausea
lasting about 4 hours.
Another
special aspect of this frog is its crazy tongue. It can shoot out in an arc
greater than 200 degrees, which means that it’s able to catch prey that’s to
the side of its head or even slightly behind it!
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It is also called the Fire Walking Frog due to its preference for walking, instead of hopping, to get where it needs to go. |
Now, the last cool feature of the Banded
Rubber Frog is its singing voice! It almost sounds
like a bird, rather than a frog! To listen to its call, click HERE and scroll down.