Tomato Frog

The tomato frog is a plump, brilliant orange-red frog. Females are much larger than males and have brighter red or orange backs and a pale underside, and some have black spots on the throat. The colour is thought to warn predators that it is toxic, and the skin releases a white, sticky substance that acts as a glue and can cause an allergic reaction in people (Wikipedia, general species account; AmphiBIO, Oliveira et al. 2017).

It is an ambush predator of small invertebrates. When threatened it inflates its body to look larger. Breeding takes place in shallow pools and swamps after heavy rain in February and March: the female lays 1,000–1,500 eggs on the surface of the water, the tadpoles hatch about 36 hours later and filter-feed, and metamorphosis is complete about 45 days after laying (Wikipedia).

Its distribution is unclear because of confusion with the closely related Dyscophus guineti, and it declines with habitat degradation and collection for the pet trade, which has been concentrated near Maroantsetra. On this guide it is a target species of Masoala.