About This Animal
SIZE: 3 in (7 cm)
RANGE: Northern Vietnam, China
HABITAT: Karst (mountainous areas characterized by limestone outcroppings)
ON EXHIBIT: Rivers of the World at River Journey
Mossy frogs attach their eggs to a rock or branch over water. When the tadpoles hatch, they fall into the water where they live for four to eight months before they become frogs. Mossy frogs use their coloration to blend into their surroundings. The colour and texture of their skin look like a bunch of moss.
This is a semi-aquatic species spending much of the time hiding in the water under rocks and floating plants. It will also attach itself to the crevice on a rock, just above the water appearing to be moss. They will play dead if they are disturbed.