Gardiner's Seychelles frog (Sechellophryne gardineri ) is a small frog of the family Sooglossidae and endemic to the Seychelles. It is named after John Stanley Gardiner, English zoologist and oceanographer.
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Jumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
G
starts withGardiner's frog is one of the smallest frogs in the world, reaching a maximum length of 11 millimeters (0.43 inches). Newly hatched frogs measure 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) in length. Adult males are 8 millimeters (0.31 inches) long. It is brown in color, and has a dark stripe running from its mouth to its legs.
This frog is notable for its ability to hear despite the absence of a middle ear cavity. Research has shown that the species is able to use its mouth cavity to amplify sound and transmit it to the inner ear,as explained by co-author Jean-François Aubry.
Gardiner's frog is a terrestrial frog, feeding on small invertebrates including mites, sciarid larvae, ants, and amphipods. It is restricted to the high- and mid-altitude areas of Mahé and Silhouette Islands of the Seychelles group. This is unusual among the Sooglossidae, as most are restricted to the high altitudes, which have a stable climate due to constant mist. Eggs are laid in small clumps on moist ground and hatch as fully formed small adult frogs. Although Gardiner's frog is common at many sites, it is classified as endangered by the IUCN Red List because it is restricted to only three locations representing five subpopulations.