Tomato frog is a colorful frog, some of which are the color of a ripe tomato. There are a few species (kinds) of tomato frogs. Most are bright red, orange, or yellow. One species is brownish-gray on the back. Some tomato frogs have black spots on the throat.
Tomato frogs live only in Madagascar, a large island off the southeast coast of Africa. They can be found in burrows and in leaf litter in forests. A tomato frog may grow 4 inches (10 centimeters) long and weigh 8 ounces (230 grams). Females are larger and sometimes more brightly colored than males.
A tomato frog eats insects and other small invertebrates (animals without backbones). When a tomato frog is threatened, it puffs itself up to scare away predators. It can also release a white liquid that is stickier than rubber cement. The liquid is not toxic, but it can stick together a predator’s eyes, fingers, lips, and whiskers.
Tomato frogs breed between January and May, after heavy rainfall. After mating with a male, the female lays about 1,000 eggs on the surface of water in swamps, temporary pools, or even drainage ditches. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs in about 36 hours. After 40 to 45 days, the tadpoles transform into adult frogs in a process called metamorphosis. Tomato frogs may live 11 years in the wild. They are also popular as pets.
