"Why doesn't the toad wash his feet?"
There aren't just crooked trees and cururu toads in the Cerrado savanna! There's an incredible diversity in the shapes and colors of the frogs, toads, and tree frogs! In this exhibition, we have brought together some of the species found in the Cerrado, so pop on down for a look.
Boana buriti by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Brazilian children are brought up with a song about the toads who don't want to wash their feet but does anyone ever think that this might be because the water is dirty? The order Anura, better known as toads, frogs, and tree frogs, are amphibians that rely heavily on water, both for their health and for their early life survival. Tadpoles, for example, have to spend all their time either in water or in humid environments.
They therefore suffer directly from water pollution, both in the Cerrado and all across the world, and they are often used in studies as bioindicators for the state of the environment. Understanding and protecting anurans means conserving the Cerrado and its waters!
Pererecas-macaco (Pithecopus hypocondrialis) by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Orange-legged leaf frog
The orange-legged leaf frog (Pithecopus hypocondrialis) can be seen walking, jumping, and climbing all over the Cerrado savanna. This species belongs to the Phyllomedusidae family and it has this eye-catching color on its sides as a warning to any potential predators that it can make them ill if they try to eat it!
Perereca-de-olhos-vermelhos (Bokermannohyla sapiranga) by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Red-eyed tree frog
With its red eyes, the red-eyed tree frog (Bokermannohyla sapiranga) watches everything in the nearby muddy streams. This species is endemic to the Cerrado, which means that it is not found anywhere else in the world!
Perereca-carneiro (Boana albopunctata) by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
White-spotted tree frog
Have you ever heard the white-spotted tree frog out in the bush? This white-spotted tree frog (Boana albopunctata) has a vocal repertoire that may confuse you. This species is fairly common throughout the Cerrado as it is quite resistant to human impact.
Sapinho-flecha (Ameerega flavopicta) by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Lutz's poison frog
Many of you will be familiar with this little guy with all its markings. The famous Lutz's poison frog (meerega flavopicta) is a member of the Dendrobatidae family and is known for its eye-catching coloring and highly poisonous skin. These little creatures are so cute that you just want to pick them up and stroke them!
Scinax fuscovarius by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Bathroom tree frog
Who has come across a tree frog in the bathroom? This species, Scinax fuscovarius, is often found in urban environments and, given that it needs humidity, bathrooms are ideal places.
Barycholos ternetzi by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Do you recognize this little frog?
Think of an amphibian that you can find everywhere! This little frog (Barycholas ternetzi) is found widely across Brazil. It makes quite a shrill sound and, unlike most anurans, it vocalizes and breeds during the day.
Sapo Odontophrynus cultripes by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
It looks like a cururu toad but it isn't.
A lot of people confuse it with the cururu toad or Cope's toad because of those bumps on its side but this toad ( Odontophrynus cultripes) is from the Odontophrynidae family while the cururu toad is a member of the genus Rhinella.
Perereca da espécie Boana lundii by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
The song of the Usina tree frog
Very often if you're out in the countryside and you hear just one frog, that sound will most likely be coming from the Usina tree frog (Boana lundii). This tree frog is found in woodland and its rather deep, loud vocalization can be heard over long distances.
Rãnzinha-assoviadora (Leptodactylus furnarius) by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Whistling frog
Can you whistle? The whistling frog (Leptodactylus funarius) is a professional at it! It is found out in the open and its vocalization is rather subtle. If you go out into the country, you'll need to be patient to find one.
Perereca-de-ampulheta (Dendropsophus minutus) by Bruno CorrêaMuseu do Cerrado
Lesser tree frog
This little guy in the photo is a lesser tree frog (Dendropsophus minutus) at the froglet stage and is almost an adult. No longer tadpoles, they don't need to spend all their time in water at this stage and they can begin exploring the Cerrado.
Getting to know the fauna of your region is one way you can take charge and help protect the Cerrado and other biomes. Take part in projects that are working to protect animals, plants, and people.
Museu do Cerrado
Director General: Rosângela Azevedo Corrêa
Technical Director: Bruno Corrêa
Editor of Contents: Bruno Corrêa
Curation, text, and photography: Bruno Corrêa
Research biologist, technical director of the Museu do Cerrado, and a lover of all things to do with the Cerrado! He works to share the science about heretofauna (amphibians and reptiles), using photography to show people that their fear of these unloved creatures is often just down to a lack of understanding and that there's an incredible diversity of colors and shapes to be found!
