Mountain chicken frog

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About Mountain chicken frog:

The mountain chicken frog (Leptodactylus fallax) is one of the largest frogs in the world and can weigh over 40 times as much as a European common frog, reaching up to 1kg in size.
It was endemic to seven Caribbean islands, including Montserrat and Dominica
The predator eats a variety of animals, including insects, snakes, small mammals, and even other frogs.
Officially named the Giant Ditch frog, the species is commonly known as the mountain chicken.
Appearance: Its reddish brown and cream colour provides effective camouflage against the leaf litter of the forest floor.
Its large, drumstick legs hold enough power to jump high enough to clear a standing adult human
Threats: Combinations of habitat destruction, invasive species and hunting have contributed to its decline.
It was majorly affected by the introduction of the deadly fungal disease, Chytridiomycosis.
Conservation status
- IUCN: Critically Endangered

What is Chytridiomycosis?

It is an infectious disease that affects amphibians, especially frogs worldwide.
It is caused by either of two species of amphibian chytrid fungus.
They are called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans.
It is an emerging disease that is significantly impacting amphibian populations across the globe.
The disease has caused the decline or complete extinction of over 200 species of frogs and other amphibians.

Q1) What are Amphibians?

Amphibians are a class of vertebrate animals known for their unique life cycle, which typically involves an aquatic larval stage and a terrestrial adult stage.

Source: Dominica’s mountain chicken frog vanishes from island in ‘fastest extinction ever recorded’