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Frogs of Zihuatanejo

ORDER ANURA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Amphibians (Class Amphibia)

-Frogs and Toads (Order Anura)

-Narrowmouth Toads (Family Microhylidae)

-American Narrow-mouthed and Sheep Frogs (Subfamily Gastrophryninae)

-Sheep Frogs (Genus Hypopachus)

-Northern Sheep Frog (Hypopachus variolosus)


The sheep frog is a small, stout frog with short legs, ranging about 1 to 1.5 inches, with females growing larger than the males. Hypopachus variolosus is known to occur in a variety habitats, most frequently reported from semiarid thornscrub and savanna environments. The northern sheep frog (Hypopachus variolosus) is native to Central America, Mexico, and extreme south Texas, United States. Sheep frogs are diet specialist, feeding largely on termites and ants (Hymenoptera), although some minute flies (Diptera) and other insects are occasionally consumed as well.

Sheep Frog

Hypopachus variolosus

Description

  • Hypopachus variolosus, commonly called the sheep frog, is a small, stout-bodied frog in the family Microhylidae. Adults have a rounded body, short limbs, a pointed or slightly rounded snout, and smooth to finely granular skin. Colouration is highly variable, commonly brown, reddish-brown, grey, or olive with darker spots, blotches, or irregular markings. The underside is often pale with darker markings.

Range

  • Hypopachus variolosus has a broad distribution from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America into northern South America. It is widespread along the Pacific slope of Mexico, including Guerrero, and is common in suitable habitats around Zihuatanejo, particularly during the rainy season.

Habitat

  • This species occupies tropical and subtropical terrestrial habitats including tropical dry forest, thorn forest, scrub, grassland, agricultural areas, and gardens. Adults spend much of the year concealed underground or beneath rocks, logs, and leaf litter and become conspicuously active after heavy rains, when they gather around temporary pools and other shallow water bodies to breed.

Diet

  • Adults feed primarily on small ants and termites, which make up an important part of their diet, along with other small arthropods. Tadpoles are aquatic and feed on algae, microorganisms, and organic particles in temporary pools and other shallow water.

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