Phrynomedusa appendiculata

The Santa Catarina leaf frog or Lutz's Phyllomedusa (Phrynomedusa appendiculata) is a frog that lives in Brazil. Scientists have seen it between 800 and 1000 meters above sea level.

Scientists last saw this frog in 2012 in a park called the Parque Estadual Nascentes do Paranapanema. Scientists believe this frog is in big danger of dying out. They may all be dead now. Scientists believe that some frogs may still be alive in Serra do Mar, where there are forests in protected parks. Scientists believe the frogs died because of sickness and dirty air and humans changing the forests where they lived from coal mining. Scientists are worried that people will try to catch these frogs to sell as pets because the frog is so colorful and rare and because many other frogs in Phrynomedusa are sold as pets, but the scientists are not sure if it is happening now.

This frog needs healthy rainforest where the tree branches come together like a roof.  The frog sits on smaller plants. The female frog lays her eggs on leaves over water. The tadpoles fall into the water when they hatch. Scientists have seen the frogs laying eggs in ponds where the water looks black.

References

Category:Frogs of South America