Common Surinam toad

For other species of toads in the same genus, see Pipa (genus).

Common Surinam toad
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Pipidae
Genus:	Pipa
Species:	P. pipa
Binomial name
Pipa pipa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Suriname toad range.
Synonyms
Rana pipa Linnaeus, 1758 * Pipa americana Laurenti, 1768

The common Suriname toad or star-fingered toad (Pipa pipa) is a species of frog in the family Pipidae found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

The common Suriname toad is similar in appearance to a mottled brown leaf, and is almost completely flat. Its feet are broadly webbed with the front toes having small, star-like appendages. Specimens of close to 20 cm (8 in) in length have been recorded, although 10–13 cm (4–5 in) is a typical size. The Suriname toad has minute eyes, no teeth, and no tongue.

Behavior

The Suriname toad is found in slow-moving streams and rivers throughout South America.

Diet

It is a predator and scavenger, capturing invertebrates and small fish with its star-fingered hands to eat, or swallowing dead creatures it comes across.

Reproduction

Suriname toads are best known for their reproductive habits. Unlike the majority of toads, the males of this species do not attract mates with croaks and other sounds often associated with these aquatic animals. Instead, they produce a sharp clicking sound by snapping the hyoid bone in their throats. The partners rise from the floor while in amplexus and flip through the water in arcs. During each arc, the female releases 3 to 10 eggs, which get embedded in the skin on her back by the male's movements. After implantation, the eggs sink into the skin and form pockets over a period of several days, eventually taking on the appearance of an irregular honeycomb. The embryos develop through to the tadpole stage inside these pockets, eventually emerging from the mother's back as fully developed toads, though they are less than an inch long (25 mm). Once they have emerged from their mother's back, the toads begin a largely solitary life.

After giving birth to the new toads, the mother slowly sheds the thin layer of skin that was used to birth them, and can begin the cycle again.

Gallery

• 
  The gray shape is the Suriname toad.
• 
  A Suriname toad with eggs embedded in the skin
• 
  Museum specimen
• 
  Museum specimen: closeup

Cultural significance

The Surinam toad is commonly cited as an example of a trypophobia trigger.

References

• La Marca, E., Azevedo-Ramos, C., Silvano, D., Coloma, L.A., Ron, S. & Hardy, J. 2004. Pipa pipa. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 July 2007.

External links

• Pipa pipa, at Animal Diversity Web