Tomato frog (Dyscophus)

Tomato frog (Dyscophus)

Tomato frogs are any of the three species of genusDyscophus (family Microhylidae): D. antongilii, D. insularis, orD. guineti. They are endemic to Madagascar. When threatened, a tomato frog puffs up its body. If a predator grabs a tomato frog in its mouth, the frog’s skin secretes a thick substance that gums up the predator’s eyes and mouth, causing the predator to release the frog to free up its eyes. The gummy substance contains a toxin that occasionally causes allergic reactions in humans. The lifespan of the tomato frog can be from 6 to 8 years. They tend to eat small insects and invertebrates.

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photo credits: lonestardigital, Franco Andreone