“…and today we’re talking about a pumpkin spiced tic tac toad. But more on that later.”
If attacking you would be automatically deadly to your enemies, you might lead a charmed life–free from worry. Such an easy going atmosphere might make you grow complacent. Things that were once important to survival become optional. And why bother when you’re a tiny, clumsy, and brightly colored frog like the pumpkin toadlet. But when you’ve found something that works, you might as well take it easy for the rest of your Life, Death, and Taxonomy.
Description of the Pumpkin Toadlet
- Tiny, typically bright orange or yellow
- Skin has a rough, bumpy texture like a squash rind
- Small and squat, almost cartoonishly so
- Miniature size makes it seem almost like a frog “pop” figure – very cute
- Back is slightly humped, making it look like it’s carrying a little backpack
- Has tiny, barely noticeable toes that barely seem fit for jumping
- They actually have fluorescent patches on their skin, meaning the cell molecules absorb light and re-emit it at a longer wavelength. This is rare in land vertebrates and it’s also rare for vertebrates to be able to see fluorescent light.
Measure Up
Welcome to the beloved Measure Up segment. The official listener’s favorite part of the show! The part of the show when we present the animal’s size and dimension in relatable terms through a quiz that’s fun for the whole family. It’s also the part of the show that’s introduced by you when you send in audio of yourself saying, singing, or chittering the words Measure Up into ldtaxonomy at gmail dot com. We don’t have a new Measure Up intro!
snout–to–vent length
12.5–19.7 mm (0.49–0.78 in)
- 8 go into an ear of sweet corn
- 10 go into a go into a sugar pumpkin
- One king Charles cavalier canine tooth
Weight
1 gram (0.035 ounces)
- A golf ball
- One AAA battery
- One slice of white bread
Fast Facts about the Pumpkin Toadlet
- Range: Found in the mountainous rainforests of southeastern Brazil.
- Habitat: Prefers leaf litter on forest floors, blending in perfectly with its orange surroundings.
- Diet: Feeds on small invertebrates, primarily ants and mites.
- Predators: Larger amphibians, reptiles, and birds may snack on them despite their bright warning colors.
- Like most brightly-colored rainforest frogs, they’re poisonous
- Behavior: They’re diurnal, active during the day, which is rare for many amphibians.
- Communication: Besides calling, they rely on body movements and vibrations to communicate in their silent, high-pitched world.
- Lifespan: Estimated 10-15 years, though actual life expectancy in the wild is still unknown due to their small size and elusive nature.
Major Fact: Inner Fear
Tiny Inner Ear: Their inner ear structures, specifically the semicircular canals, are the smallest ever recorded for adult vertebrates. This makes it difficult for them to balance mid-jump, often resulting in clumsy landings.
Semicircular Canals: These three fluid-filled canals detect rotational movements. Each canal corresponds to a different plane of movement (horizontal, vertical, and lateral). When your head moves, the fluid inside these canals shifts, bending hair cells that send signals to the brain about the direction and speed of the movement.
Deaf to Their Own Calls: Both male and female pumpkin toadlets are deaf to their own calls. Despite producing a soft, cricket-like chirp to attract mates, they can’t hear themselves.
Vestigial Inner Ear: Their inner ear is vestigial, meaning it’s reduced and non-functional. This suggests that their ancestors had a functional inner ear, but over time, it has become less important for their survival.
Poison allows this charmed idiot existence. Instead of hearing calls, researchers believe that they pay attention to the visual cues of a toadlet calling. Since they are active in the day, and brightly colored, they are able to find each other. And since they are extremely poisonous, they can tumble around the forest without fear of predators.
Ending: So blend in with the Fascist Fanta, enjoy the detritus of the forest floor, and sing a song to your soulmate that they’ll never hear like the sad pumpkin toadlet here in LDT.