Venezuela pebble toad (Oreophrynella nigra)
Venezuela pebble toads have a very unusual defence mechanism, shared with only a few close relatives. They roll themselves up into a ball and bounce down the hill, away from danger. These tiny amphibians weigh so little that if they hold their muscles rigid, the bouncing doesn't damage them at all. Pebble toads also breed communally, so a single nest can contain over 100 toads. One nest found had 103 toads and 321 eggs in it.
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Bouncing toads Earth News
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Pebble toad's rock and roll life
When confronted by a predator, some animals fight, others run while a few hide, hoping not to be noticed.
About the Venezuela pebble toad
Oreophrynella nigra or Pebble Toad is a species of toad in the Bufonidae family. It is found in Venezuela and possibly Guyana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montanes and swamps.
When threatened the toad folds its limbs under its body, tucks its head in and tenses in a ball position. If on an incline, this causes it to roll down the slope, escaping the attentions of its predator. Its cryptic colouring blends with its sandstone habitat.
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The Venezuela pebble toad is
Adaptation data provided by Animal Diversity Web
Where can I see them?
They can be found in the following habitats:
Conservation Status
The Venezuela pebble toad is Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
- EX - Extinct
- EW
- CR - Threatened
- EN - Threatened
- VU - Threatened
- NT
- LC - Least concern
Population trend: Stable
Year assessed: 2004
Elsewhere on the web
- Amphibian decline in Venezuela (open.ac.uk)
- Venezuela pebble toad fact file (zipcodezoo.com)
- Oreophrynella nigra (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
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