Lepidobatrachus
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 Budgett's frog, Lepidobatrachus laevis
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3 species, see article. |
Lepidobatrachus is a genus of leptodactylid frogs commonly referred to as Budgett's frogs. There are three different species:
Genus Lepidobatrachus (Budgett, 1899)
- Lepidobatrachus asper
- Lepidobatrachus laevis
- Lepidobatrachus llanensis
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[edit] Geographic range
Budgett's frogs are found in South America, in the countries of Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia.
[edit] Description
Lepidobatrachus frogs are generally a light, olive green in color, sometimes with lighter green or yellow mottling. They are capable of growing to an adult size of 11cm. They have a rounded, flattened body with eyes set high on their head, giving them a blob-like appearance. They have short limbs, which do not make them particularly efficient swimmers. They do not have teeth, but they do have two sharp protrusions inside their large mouth which serve that purpose just as well.
[edit] Behaviour & Diet
Budgett's frogs tend to be fairly sedentary creatures, and only semi-aquatic. They spend most of their time sitting in one spot of moist soil or moss, relying on their camouflage to protect them. They will consume just about any other creature which happens by that fits into their mouth, including small mammals, fish, other frogs, and invertebrates. They breed in seasonal pools and sometimes even in water tanks on cattle farms. Females can lay upwards of a thousand eggs at a time, which will hatch into larvae in a matter of days. Larvae are often cannibalistic. The breeding season is short, and the larvae develop quickly to be able to leave their water sources which dry up in the dry season.
This frog is also known as the "Freddy Kruger" frog, because when frightened, it will open it's disproportionately large mouth and emit a shrill, fearsome scream. It has even been known to bite when cornered by a human or predator. [1]
[edit] In captivity
Due to habitat destruction, the Budgett's frog is on the verge of being listed as a threatened species [1], but they are fairly common in captivity, and are captive bred for the exotic pet trade. The most commonly available species is L. laevis. Due to their comical appearance, they tend to make an attractive option for the intermediate to advanced amphibian keeper.
