Oreophrynella nigra
| Oreophrynella nigra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Oreophrynella |
| Species: | O. nigra |
| Binomial name | |
| Oreophrynella nigra Señaris, Ayarzaguena & Gorzula, 1994 | |
Oreophrynella nigra, or Pebble Toad, is a species of toad in the Bufonidae family. It is found in Venezuela and possibly Guyana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane regions and swamps.[1]
When threatened, the toad folds its limbs under its body, tucks its head in and tenses in a ball shape. If on an incline (this is how it gets its name), this causes it to roll down the slope, escaping the attention of its predator, and looking like a tumbling pebble. Its cryptic black and dark grey coloring that may appear as dark navy blue to some blends with its sandstone habitat. This toad was featured on the BBC series, Life, pursued by a tarantula. It is a very small species of toad, with adults reaching approximately 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) in length. One of its predators is the toad eating tarantula (spider).[2]
References
- ↑ La Marca, E. & Señaris, C. 2004. Oreophrynella nigra. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 21 July 2007.
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8307000/8307333.stm