#narrowmouth toad

[herpsandbirds]

TARANTULA WITH A PET FROG?

Well, not exactly.

Colombian Lesser Black Tarantula (Xenesthis immanis), family Theraphosidae

Dotted Humming Frog (Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata), family Microhylidae

- The 2 species occur together in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.

This relationship is sometime framed as "Tarantula with a pet frog"

This is thought to be a symbiotic relationship, probably mutualistic.

The frog lives in the female tarantula's burrow, feeding on prey leftovers and ants (which would harm the eggs or spiderlings).

This is very specific to these species, as this species of tarantula will attack and prey on similar species of frog.

photographs by Emanuele Biggi

(Photo - @rainmaker1973/Twitter)

[toadfemme]

Sir you are illegally small

[devontiny]

Please enjoy this baby sheep frog

[toadschooled]

Visit Original Link

[x]

[platycryptus]

Arright so i saw something really cool in Texas, the kind of thing you read about but don’t expect to actually encounter

I flipped over a rock and found a tarantula sharing its burrow with a tiny narrowmouth toad

This is a symbiotic relationship where the tarantula provides protection and affordable housing, while the toad feeds on ants that could harm the tarantula or its eggs. Other small frogs, lizards etc. are just prey to tarantulas, but they instinctively recognize and welcome narrowmouth toads for their ant-eradication abilities.

Basically, tarantulas keep tiny toads in their home for the same reason humans domesticated cats. This sort of went viral as a piece of trivia a while back, but there’s not a lot of actual photos showing it.

This isn’t the only case of this I saw either. I saw two other burrows with toads in them, including a massive tarantula that had at least 4-5 toads, but they hopped deeper into the burrow before I could take pics.

Anyway here’s some better quality photos I took of both animals during the day. The toad is Gastrophryne olivacea and the tarantula is an Aphonopelma species (probably hentzi but their taxonomy is a clusterfuck)

[typhlonectes]

Eastern Narrowmouth toads (Gastrophryne carolinensis) take advantage of the heavy rains at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas.

photographs via: Texas Parks and Wildlife

[neature-walk]

I present to you….small and beautiful child

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NARROWMOUTH TOAD OHHHHHH MY GODDD!!!!! OHHHH!!!!!! BEAUTIFUL BOY DOING A GOOD JOB!!! MEEEEEEEEENTTTT

[toadschooled]

If you were hoping for a sign that everything would be okay, this is it-  a little frog, just for you. This eastern narrowmouth toad [Gastrophryne carolinensis] was found in Cheriton, Virginia, by photographer Kevin Faccenda. Maxing out at just an inch and a half in length, these tiny toads are most often found during heavy rains any time between March and October. And although there’s no myth surrounding them that I can find, with their small size and reclusive natures, it’s hard to not feel blessed when you find one.