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Surinam toad

File:Pipa_pipa01.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ220414· pop 38· linked from 36 articles

Surinam toad

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Also known as Pipa pipa, Suriname toad

species of amphibian

Species

Least Concern

via IUCN

~11 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The common Surinam toad, the Suriname toad, or star-fingered toad (Pipa pipa), is a fully-aquatic species of frog, in the family Pipidae, with a widespread range across much of tropical South America and the island of Trinidad. The females of this species are well-known for "incubating" their eggs on their backs, in honeycomb-like depressions directly within the skin, releasing fully-formed froglets after a period of 4–5 months. Pipa pipa is an ambush predator, lying in-wait underwater for prey to inevitably wander too close, swiftly inhaling the unsuspecting creature using suction feeding. Additionally, the Surinam toad's rather flat body shape, combined with rather dark, dull coloration, serves as effective camouflage in the murky waters they inhabit, perfectly mimicking a dead leaf or piece of rotting wood as they await their next meal.

Description

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Surinam toad” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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