Mallorcan midwife toad
Encyclopedia
The Majorcan Midwife Toad (also Mallorcan Midwife Toad or Ferreret in Balearic Catalan and Spanish
) is an Amphibian
of the order Anura and in the family Discoglossidae
. It is exclusively endemic to the Balearic Island of Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea
. Until 1977 the species was believed to have become extinct, however its consequent discovery meant that the species could be described as a Living Fossil
. Although still found in the wild, the Midwife toad can be more commonly be seen in zoos, particularly the Gerald Durrell
zoo in Jersey
, where it has been quite successfully bred in captivity. The decline of wild populations to a total of about 500 breeding pairs, was caused primarily by the introduction of non-native species to the island hundreds of years ago. Two species in particular being the Green Frog
and the Viperine Snake. Reintroduction of the species has taken place since 1988, with many breeding populations now well established in some areas.
s, the male of the species always carries the developing eggs
during the months of May and June. Generally the head and legs are large in comparison to the rest of the body. Unusually, the female of the species competes for the male, even grappling against other individuals in order to secure a mate
. Both male and female frogs use a series a noises in order to attract a mate during Courtship
. Comparatively the female is larger than the male (Male: 34.7 mm, Female: 38mm).
of the Sierra de Tramuntana. In this area, the species inhabits streams in limestone caverns, where they hide under boulders and stones.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) is an Amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
of the order Anura and in the family Discoglossidae
Discoglossidae
Discoglossidae is a family of primitive frogs, with the common name Disc-Tongued Frogs. Most are endemic to Europe, but there are also three species in North-West Africa, and an extinct species formerly occurred in Israel....
. It is exclusively endemic to the Balearic Island of Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Until 1977 the species was believed to have become extinct, however its consequent discovery meant that the species could be described as a Living Fossil
Living fossil
Living fossil is an informal term for any living species which appears similar to a species otherwise only known from fossils and which has no close living relatives, or a group of organisms which have long fossil records...
. Although still found in the wild, the Midwife toad can be more commonly be seen in zoos, particularly the Gerald Durrell
Gerald Durrell
Gerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
zoo in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, where it has been quite successfully bred in captivity. The decline of wild populations to a total of about 500 breeding pairs, was caused primarily by the introduction of non-native species to the island hundreds of years ago. Two species in particular being the Green Frog
Green frog
The Green Frog is a species of frog native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada. There are two subspecies—the Bronze Frog and the Northern Green Frog.-Description:...
and the Viperine Snake. Reintroduction of the species has taken place since 1988, with many breeding populations now well established in some areas.
Characteristics
Like all Midwife ToadMidwife toad
Midwife toads are a genus of frogs in the Discoglossidae family, and are found in most of Europe and northwestern Africa. Characteristic of these toad-like frogs is their parental care: the males carry a string of fertilised eggs on their back, hence the name "midwife". The female expels a strand...
s, the male of the species always carries the developing eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
during the months of May and June. Generally the head and legs are large in comparison to the rest of the body. Unusually, the female of the species competes for the male, even grappling against other individuals in order to secure a mate
Mating
In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation. In social animals, it also includes the raising of their offspring. Copulation is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reproducing animals for insemination and subsequent internal fertilization...
. Both male and female frogs use a series a noises in order to attract a mate during Courtship
Courtship
Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...
. Comparatively the female is larger than the male (Male: 34.7 mm, Female: 38mm).
Distribution
The species is endemic to Majorca, and is found only in the mountainous regions and GorgesGorges
Gorges, the plural of the French word for "throat", usually refers to a canyon.Gorges is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Gorges, in the Loire-Atlantique département* Gorges, in the Manche département...
of the Sierra de Tramuntana. In this area, the species inhabits streams in limestone caverns, where they hide under boulders and stones.