SURINAM TOAD
SURINAM TOAD Scientific Name: Pipa pipa Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Physical Adaptations: Its mottled brown coloration makes this toad hard to spot in the muddy waters, and its squat body makes it appear to have been stepped on Growing to between 3 to 4 inches in length, the Surinam toad has large webbed feet, long fingers, small, dark eyes, and a pointed nose but lacks a tongue. Its fingers have little star-shaped appendages that help it to find food
Behavioral Adaptations: It rests by day and hunts at night, using the filaments on the tips of its slender fingers to locate food– living or dead– in the muddy water bottom In the wild, Surinam toads space themselves using calls to communicate location and distances The Surinam toad leads a largely solitary life. Males and females separate after reproduction
Habitat/Biome: oxygen-deficient, muddy, turbid, even polluted water.
Distribution: Amazon and Orinoco rivers, to small swamps and ditches across tropical South America
Status: pop. trend: stable Special Notes: IUCN Category: Least Concern CITES Listing: Not Listed Threats Include: Habitat loss
Primary Diet: Wild: worms, insects, crustaceans, and small fish
Aquatic Omnivore Fun Facts: Pipa pipa is entirely aquatic They lunge at their prey They lie on the bottom, returning to the surface for air generally every half hour. They do not leave the water voluntarily
Additional Notes: Incubation: 2 to 4 months Clutch: 40 to 100 eggs Life Span: up to 10 years in captivity Information Sources: (2011) Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Animal Facts www.honoluluzoo.org www.amphibiaweb,org animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu
Behavioral Adaptations: It rests by day and hunts at night, using the filaments on the tips of its slender fingers to locate food– living or dead– in the muddy water bottom In the wild, Surinam toads space themselves using calls to communicate location and distances The Surinam toad leads a largely solitary life. Males and females separate after reproduction
Habitat/Biome: oxygen-deficient, muddy, turbid, even polluted water.
Distribution: Amazon and Orinoco rivers, to small swamps and ditches across tropical South America
Status: pop. trend: stable Special Notes: IUCN Category: Least Concern CITES Listing: Not Listed Threats Include: Habitat loss
Primary Diet: Wild: worms, insects, crustaceans, and small fish
Aquatic Omnivore Fun Facts: Pipa pipa is entirely aquatic They lunge at their prey They lie on the bottom, returning to the surface for air generally every half hour. They do not leave the water voluntarily
Additional Notes: Incubation: 2 to 4 months Clutch: 40 to 100 eggs Life Span: up to 10 years in captivity Information Sources: (2011) Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Animal Facts www.honoluluzoo.org www.amphibiaweb,org animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu
