Tomato frogs are aptly named for their striking colors. Females are a bright red-orange and males a yellow-orange. In some instances, they have black spots along their backs. These frogs can release a toxic secretion through their skin when threatened.
Source: ShadyThings
Physical Description
Tomato frogs are best recognized by their striking colors. Males are yellow-orange and females are brighter orange-red. The undersides of the frogs are pale white, and in some cases these frogs may have black spots on their backs. Two dorsal folds run down the back and a dark brown stripe extends from behind the eyes to each hind leg. The forelimbs of tomato frogs have no membranes, and the membranes on their hind limbs are not.
Tomato frogs can secrete poison through their skin. These frogs spend most of their time burrowing into leaves and mud. In addition to toxicity, they can inflate themselves to deter predators.
Size
Tomato frogs grow from 2.5 to 3.5 inches (60 to 90 mm), and females tend to be slightly larger than males.
Indigenous living environment
This species is found only in Madagascar, along the island’s eastern rainforest belt. Tomato frogs mainly live in rainforests and swamp forests, where they prefer slow-moving, almost stagnant water bodies and ponds. At night, they move around the forest floor.
Contact
Tomato frogs have unique sounds that can be heard in the evening and throughout the night when this frog is most active.
Food / Eating habits
Tomato frogs eat insects, insect larvae and worms.
Reproduction and Development
Tomato frogs breed in freshwater puddles. Females lay hundreds of black and white eggs, which stick to the surface of the water. About 36 hours later, transparent, filter-eating tadpoles appeared. Tadpole development lasts about two months, and sexual maturity is reached between 2 and 4 years of age.
