Amazon horned frog Facts

Amazon horned frog Facts
Amazon horned frog, also known as Surinam horned frog, belongs to the family of Southern Frogs. It can be found only in the South America. Amazon horned frog inhabits tropical rainforests and freshwater swamps in the Amazon Basin. Habitat destruction and over collecting from the wild (due to pet trade) are the major threats for the survival of this species. Despite these factors, wild population of Amazon horned frogs is still large and stable.
Interesting Amazon horned frog Facts:
Amazon horned frog can reach 4 to 8 inches in length and up to 1 pound of weight. Females are larger than males.
Females are usually beige colored. Males can be dark or light green colored. Both males and females have black throat. Bottom side of the body is grey. Body of Amazon horned frog is covered with spots and lines of various size and color.
Amazon horned frog has stocky, roundish body with bumpy skin and stubby limbs.
Amazon horned frog has horn-like projections above the eyes which resemble the petioles of leaves. "Horns" provide ideal camouflage on the forest floor.
Amazon horned frog is nocturnal creature (active during the night).
Amazon horned frog has large mouth, long, sticky tongue and strong jaws equipped with sharp teeth. These features facilitate catching of the large prey.
Amazon horned frog is an ambush predator (it hunts using the element of surprise). It hides in the leaf litter, exposing only head, and waits for the prey to appear. When the prey is close enough, Amazon horned frog quickly jumps out of the hiding place and swallows the prey in one piece.
Amazon horned frog is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on various types of frogs, snails, lizards, mice and tadpoles of its own species.
Amazon horned frog is also known as "Pac Man frog" (character from a video game) due to voracious appetite and extremely large mouth (compared to the rest of the body).
Natural enemies of Amazon horned frogs are birds and snakes.
Amazon horned frogs are solitary animals. Males aggressively defend their territories.
Amazon horned frogs breed in the small pools of water. Males produce loud calls to attract females.
Females can produce up to 1.000 eggs per season. After successful fertilization, female carries fertilized eggs (on her back) until she finds suitable place for the incubation. Eggs lay wrapped around aquatic plants until they hatch, usually 3 to 25 days after fertilization.
Tadpoles are aggressive from the moment of birth and they often attack each other in the water. Metamorphosis (transformation into miniature frogs) lasts around 90 days. Young Amazon horned frogs reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 to 4 years.
Amazon horned frog can survive 10 to 15 years in the captivity.


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