Fun Surinam Horned Frog Facts For Kids

The Surinam horned frog is a species of horned frog endemic to the continent of South America. It has another common name, Amazonian horned frog, and its scientific name is Ceratophrys cornuta.

This frog's more popular name is Pacman frog which is what it is called in the pet industry because of its big, wide mouth and insatiable appetite.

This frog is most abundant in the Amazon basin in the countries of Surinam, Colombia, the Guianas, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Peru. It likes open areas of forests, pools in old forests, and freshwater marshes and is often seen along the floor amongst leaf litter.

The Surinam horned frog (Amazonian horned frog) has horns on its head above the eyes which help it to blend in with the leaves.

This frog is a stealthy and voracious feeder, devouring most small animals that cross its path. Despite habitat loss and being captured for the pet trade, the Surinam horned frog is still a Least Concern species as per the IUCN and shows stable population trends.

For more relatable content, check out these Chinese giant salamander facts and spotted salamander facts for kids.
 

Surinam Horned Frog Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Surinam horned frog?

The Surinam horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) is a frog and an amphibian.

What class of animal does a Surinam horned frog belong to?

The Surinam horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) belongs to the Amphibia class of animals.

How many Surinam horned frogs are there in the world?

The exact number of Surinam horned frogs left in the world is unclear. This may be because the frog is fairly common in its habitat range and it is also common as a pet frog.

Where does a Surinam horned frog live?

Surinam horned frogs are native to the continent of South America. They are seen in the Amazon basin in the countries of Surinam, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Peru.

What is a Surinam horned frog's habitat?

The most common Surinam horned frog habitat is in the open areas of the forest. They are often seen in leaf litters on the floor of the forest. These Pac-man frogs are terrestrial and are also found close to freshwater marshes as well as pools in old forests.

Who do Surinam horned frogs live with?

Surinam horned frogs are solitary creatures who mostly live alone. The males are known to become aggressive while defending their territories. Males and female frogs are seen together in the breeding season.

How long does a Surinam horned frog live?

Not much is known about the Surinam horned frog lifespan in the wild. In captivity, they live for an average of 10 years. Some have been recorded to live for up to 15 years.

How do they reproduce?

Surinam horned frogs reproduce by mating and laying eggs. Mating begins when males call out to the female frogs. After pairing, the male puts the eggs on the female's back. Mating is seasonal and polygynous, meaning the male frogs mate with multiple females.

Sexual maturity is attained at the age of three to four years. Temporary pools are used by Surinam horned frogs for mating. Usually, 300-600 eggs are laid but as many as 1,000 eggs can also be laid.

The female is responsible for finding the offspring a suitable place to grow and develop. The juveniles hatch three to 25 days post-fertilization.

Most of the minimal parental care is given by the females which includes keeping the eggs nourished and finding a safe space for depositing the eggs after fertilization. After providing a safe location for development, Surinam horned frogs do not show much parental involvement to their offspring.

It takes three months for tadpoles to metamorphose, after which they are 0.4-0.5 in (1-1.3 cm) long.

The mortality rate is very high among the eggs of the Surinam horned frog. Only a few of the hundreds of eggs survive and become adults.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the Surinam horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature is Least Concern.

Surinam Horned Frog Fun Facts

What do Surinam horned frogs look like?

Surinam horned frogs are not very small frogs. The body is an overall round shape and the head is protruding. The males of this species are dark to lime green or tan.

They are also known to display these colors at the same time. The females are mostly tan-colored and the ventral or the underside is gray. The limbs of these Pac-man frogs are short and show bands of a dark color. The thighs are brown and have spots that are faint yellow.

There are pointed, small warts covering the body, and the mouth is colored white. Female frogs are bigger than the males. Male Surinam horned frogs have nuptial pads on the front feet's toes.

The most prominent feature of the Surinam horned frog species is the horn-like projections that are present above the eyes. These 'horns' look similar to the petioles of leaves and camouflage these frogs perfectly within the leaf litter on the forest floor.

Surinam horned frogs also have horny beaks, big appetites, long teeth, and big mouths because of which they are called Pac-man frogs.

How cute are they?

Surinam horned frogs are one of the most singular-looking animals, if not traditionally cute. They have big white mouths and huge, voracious appetites, resembling the Pacman video game character, which is why they are called Pacman frogs. They also have a dead-eyed, lazy gaze that does not betray their ever-alert predatory instincts.

How do they communicate?

Surinam horned frogs communicate acoustically. Male frogs in a group in the mating season emit a wavering and noisy sound. Touching and other forms of tactile communication are seen during the mating season.

Visual perception is important for Surinam horned frogs when they are hunting for prey. They also sense the motion of prey animals.

How big is a Surinam horned frog?

A Surinam horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) is 2.8-7.9 in (7-20 cm) long which makes them two to four times smaller than goliath frogs.

How fast can a Surinam horned frog move?

Surinam horned frogs hop and jump rather than run. Being horned frogs, they can move close to speeds of 5 mph (8 kph).

How much does a Surinam horned frog weigh?

Surinam horned frogs weigh up to 1 lb (0.5 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of the Surinam horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) species do not have specific names.

What would you call a baby Surinam horned frog?

A baby Surinam horned frog is called a tadpole.

What do they eat?

Surinam horned frogs are voracious feeders and they feed on almost anything that crosses their path and fits into their mouths. They sit camouflaged in the leaf litter and soil and wait and ambush their prey. They feed on mice, fish, tadpoles of their own species, smaller frogs, arthropods, beetles, ants, and small reptiles and mammals.

They themselves face the threat of predation from birds and snakes.

Are they poisonous?

No, Surinam horned frogs are not poisonous. They do have relatively sharp teeth and may bite hard when not handled with care.

Would they make a good pet?

Surinam horned frogs are very popular as pets, especially for herpetologists because of their striking, strange appearance and voracious appetites. They, along with Cranwell's horned frog and Argentine horned frogs, are known as Pac-man frogs.

Surinam horned frog care is relatively easy. They do well in captivity and settle in quickly after about three days. They find the best burrowing spots and remain there. Care should be taken while handling these Pac-man frogs because of their sharp teeth and horns.

It is easy to feed them since they eat anything. A Surinam horned frog enclosure does not need to be too big as they are mostly sedentary. They display different color morphs and grow to be big.

They can be aggressive towards other animals, so one should keep them separate. They are likely to bite your hand too.

Did you know...

Horned frogs live for five to eight years in their wild and up to 15 years in captivity.

Horned frogs face predatory threats from birds, snakes, and bears.

Horned frogs make good pets if you show them proper and detailed care.

Horned frogs are non-venomous animals.

The cryptic-colored green Surinam horned frog (or the Amazonian horned frog) remains better hidden than other colorations.

What are the different types of horned frogs?

There are two main genera of horned frogs, Megophrys and Ceratophrys.

Horned frogs of the Megophrys genus are called Asian horned frogs, while those of the genus Ceratophrys are called Pacman frogs or South American horned frogs.

Do Surinam horned frogs bite?

Yes, Surinam horned frogs do bite with their sharp teeth, but only when not handled with proper care.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other amphibians from our olm surprising facts and bullfrog fun facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable surinam horned frog coloring pages.