Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Amphibia
Subclassis: Lissamphibia
Ordo: Anura
Familia: Microhylidae
Subfamilia: Dyscophinae
Genus: Dyscophus
Species: D. antongilii - D. guineti - D. insularis
Name
Dyscophus Grandidier, 1872
Type species: Dyscophus insularis Grandidier, 1872
Later homonyms
Dyscophus Burmeister, 1878 (Hesperiidae)
Incorrect spelling
Discophus Guibé, 1978
References
Grandidier, 1872, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, Ser, 5, 15: 10.
Amphibian Species of the World 5.1 Dyscophus access date 8 March 2015
Vernacular names
English: Tomato Frogs
فارسی: قورباغه گوجهای
suomi: Tomaattisammakot
Bahasa Indonesia: Katak tomat
lietuvių: Raudonosios siauraburnės
മലയാളം: തക്കാളിത്തവള
svenska: Tomatgroda
українська: Жаба-помідор
Tomato frogs are any of the three species of genus Dyscophus (family Microhylidae): D. antongilii, D. insularis, or D. guineti.[1] Dyscophus is the only genus in subfamily Dyscophinae. They are endemic to Madagascar.[2]
The common name comes from D. antongilii's bright red color. When threatened, a tomato frog puffs up its body. When a predator grabs a tomato frog in its mouth, the frog's skin secretes a thick substance that numbs 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 allergic reaction will not kill a human and the frog secretes it only when frightened.
The lifespan of the tomato frog can be from 6 to 8 years. When adult, the colors may vary from yellowish orange to deep red. Tomato frogs will reach sexual maturity in 9–14 months. Females are larger than males and can reach 4 inches in length. Males can reach 2 to 3 inches in length. Most females range from reddish-orange to bright dark red. The bellies are usually more yellowish, and sometimes there are black spots on the throat. But males are not as brightly colored but more of a duller orange or brownish-orange. Juveniles are also dull in color and develop brighter coloration as they mature. According to the Smithsonian National Zoo tomato frog's conservation status has been updated to that of least concern. They breed in the rainy season and are nocturnal. They tend to eat small insects and invertebrates.
Species
There are three different species:[1]
| Image | Binomial name and author | Common name | Distribution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Dyscophus antongilii Grandidier, 1877 | Tomato frog | Madagascar | |
 |
Dyscophus guineti (Grandidier, 1875) | Sambava tomato frog | Madagascar | |
 |
Dyscophus insularis Grandidier, 1872 | Antsouhy tomato frog | Madagascar |
Reproductive activity
Tomato frogs lay fresh eggs during every month of the year except for November. Their reproductive activity is high during the months January–May and low between the months June–December.[3]
References
Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Dyscophus Grandidier, 1872". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Dyscophinae Boulenger, 1882". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
Segev, Ori; Andreone, Franco; Pala, Roberta; Tessa, Giulia; Miguel, Vences (2012-11-14). "Reproductive phenology of the tomato frog, Dyscophus antongili, in an urban pond of Madagascar's east coast". Acta Herpetologica: 331. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
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