Chile Darwin's Frog
Encyclopedia
The Chile Darwin's Frog (Rhinoderma rufum) is one of only two members of the family Rhinodermatidae
.
It is endemic to Chile
.
This species of frog exhibits a highly unusual form of parental care in that the tadpoles spend part of their life developing in the vocal sac of their father, where they 'hitch a ride' to a pool of water in their father's vocal sac where they complete their development from the tadpole to the frog form.
Very little is known about this species, but its natural habitats are probably Temperate Forests, Rivers, and Swamps.
It is currently considered critically endangered, but as there have been no confirmed records since around 1980, it may already be extinct. If still extant, it is likely to be threatened by habitat loss and pollution
.
, wonderful and endangered species
: "The EDGE amphibians are amongst the most remarkable and unusual species on the planet and yet an alarming 85% of the top 100 are receiving little or no conservation attention." The top 10 endangered species (in the List of endangered animal species
include: the Chinese giant salamander
, a distant relative of the newt
, the tiny Gardiner's Seychelles, the limbless Sagalla caecilian, South Africa
n ghost frogs, lungless Mexican salamanders, the Malagasy
rainbow frog
, Chile's Darwin frog (Rhinoderma rufum) and the Betic Midwife Toad
.
Rhinodermatidae
Rhinodermatidae are a family of small frogs found on the south-west coast of South America. There is only one genus , with just two species, of which the Chile Darwin's Frog is highly endangered or may already be extinct. The better known Darwin's Frog Rhinodermatidae are a family of small frogs...
.
It is endemic to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
This species of frog exhibits a highly unusual form of parental care in that the tadpoles spend part of their life developing in the vocal sac of their father, where they 'hitch a ride' to a pool of water in their father's vocal sac where they complete their development from the tadpole to the frog form.
Very little is known about this species, but its natural habitats are probably Temperate Forests, Rivers, and Swamps.
It is currently considered critically endangered, but as there have been no confirmed records since around 1980, it may already be extinct. If still extant, it is likely to be threatened by habitat loss and pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
.
EDGE endangered species
On January 21, 2008, Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE), per chief Helen Meredith identified nature's most weirdWeird
The word weird may refer to:*"odd, uncanny", see surreal humour, mental confusion, freak*Wyrd, the Germanic concept of fate; Weird Sisters, the Germanic Fates*"Weird", a song from Hilary Duff's Hilary Duff *"Weird"...
, wonderful and endangered species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
: "The EDGE amphibians are amongst the most remarkable and unusual species on the planet and yet an alarming 85% of the top 100 are receiving little or no conservation attention." The top 10 endangered species (in the List of endangered animal species
include: the Chinese giant salamander
Chinese giant salamander
The Chinese giant salamander is the largest salamander in the world, reaching a length of 180 cm , although it rarely – if ever – reaches that size today...
, a distant relative of the newt
Newt
A newt is an aquatic amphibian of the family Salamandridae, although not all aquatic salamanders are considered newts. Newts are classified in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae, and are found in North America, Europe and Asia...
, the tiny Gardiner's Seychelles, the limbless Sagalla caecilian, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n ghost frogs, lungless Mexican salamanders, the Malagasy
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
rainbow frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
, Chile's Darwin frog (Rhinoderma rufum) and the Betic Midwife Toad
Betic Midwife Toad
The Betic Midwife Toad or Sapo Partero Bético is a species of frog in the Discoglossidae family.It is endemic to Spain....
.
Source
- Veloso, A., Núñez, H., Díaz-Paéz, H. & Formas, R. 2004. Rhinoderma rufum. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 24 July 2007.