Surinam toad

Surinam toad
Surinam Toad
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pipidae
Genus: Pipa
Species: P. pipa
Binomial name
Pipa pipa
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms

Pipa americana Laurenti, 1768

The gray shape is the Surinam Toad.

The Surinam toad or star-fingered toad (Spanish: aparo, rana comun de celdillas, rana tablacha, sapo chinelo, sapo chola, or sapo de celdas) (Pipa pipa) is a species of frog in the Pipidae family.

It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marches. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Contents

Description

The appearance of the toad is somewhat like a leaf. It is almost completely flat, and colored in a mottled brown. Feet are broadly webbed with the front toes having small, star-like appendages. Sizes of close to 20 cm (8 in), are recorded, though 10-13 cm (4–5 in) is more typical. The Surinam toad has minute eyes, no teeth and no tongue.

Reproduction

A Surinam toad with eggs embedded in the skin

Surinam toads are most well known for their remarkable reproductive habits. Unlike the majority of toads, the males of this species cannot attract mates with croaks and other sounds often associated with these aquatic animals. Instead they produce a sharp clicking sound by snapping the hyoid bone in their throat.[1] The partners rise from the floor while in amplexus and flip through the water in arcs. During each arc, the female releases 3-10 eggs, which get embedded in the skin on her back by the male's movements. After implantation the eggs sink into the skin and form pockets over a period of several days, eventually taking on the appearance of an irregular honeycomb. The larvae develop through the tadpole stage inside these pockets, eventually emerging from the mother's back as fully developed toads, though they are less than an inch long (2 cm). Once they have emerged from their mother's back, the toads begin a largely solitary life.

Whole body view
Whole body view
Close-up view
Close-up view
Museum samples of a female Surinam toad with embedded, fully formed froglets on the back


References

  1. ^ Piper, Ross (2007), Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals, Greenwood Press.

External links

Data related to Pipa pipa at Wikispecies Media related to Pipa pipa at Wikimedia Commons


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Surinam toad — Toad Toad, n. [OE. tode, tade, AS. t[=a]die, t[=a]dige; of unknown origin. Cf. {Tadpole}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of batrachians belonging to the genus {Bufo} and allied genera, especially those of the family {Bufonid[ae]}. Toads… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surinam toad — Su ri*nam toad (Zo[ o]l.) A species of toad native of Surinam. See {Pipa}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surinam toad — a South American aquatic frog, Pipa pipa, the female of which carries the eggs and tadpoles in small depressions on its back. [1765 75] * * * ▪ zoology  (Pipa pipa), aquatic South American toad (family Pipidae) in which the eggs are incubated on… …   Universalium

  • Surinam toad — n. = PIPA. Etymology: Surinam in S. America …   Useful english dictionary

  • Carvalho's Surinam Toad — Taxobox name = Carvalho s Surinam Toad status = LC | status system = IUCN3.1 regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Amphibia ordo = Anura familia = Pipidae genus = Pipa species = P. carvalhoi binomial = Pipa carvalhoi binomial authority =… …   Wikipedia

  • Myers' Surinam Toad — Conservation status Endangered (IUCN 3.1) Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Toad — Toad, n. [OE. tode, tade, AS. t[=a]die, t[=a]dige; of unknown origin. Cf. {Tadpole}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of batrachians belonging to the genus {Bufo} and allied genera, especially those of the family {Bufonid[ae]}. Toads are… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Toad lizard — Toad Toad, n. [OE. tode, tade, AS. t[=a]die, t[=a]dige; of unknown origin. Cf. {Tadpole}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of batrachians belonging to the genus {Bufo} and allied genera, especially those of the family {Bufonid[ae]}. Toads… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Toad pipe — Toad Toad, n. [OE. tode, tade, AS. t[=a]die, t[=a]dige; of unknown origin. Cf. {Tadpole}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of batrachians belonging to the genus {Bufo} and allied genera, especially those of the family {Bufonid[ae]}. Toads… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Toad rush — Toad Toad, n. [OE. tode, tade, AS. t[=a]die, t[=a]dige; of unknown origin. Cf. {Tadpole}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of batrachians belonging to the genus {Bufo} and allied genera, especially those of the family {Bufonid[ae]}. Toads… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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