Surinam toad

Pipa pipa

The Surinam toad is a flat-bodied frog of Neotropical freshwater. It is a solitary nocturnal carnivore that hunts underwater.

Key facts

Surinam toad (Pipa pipa) is a carnivore animal classified as Amphibian · Anura · Pipidae.
Primary habitats are freshwater, with a range across Neotropical.
Activity is nocturnal, sociality is solitary, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The Surinam toad is a flat-bodied frog of Neotropical freshwater.
It lives in slow rivers, swamps, ponds, and other freshwater habitats.
Typical lifespan: 4-15 years

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

It lives in slow rivers, swamps, ponds, and other freshwater habitats. Leafy or muddy bottoms provide camouflage.

Body length is about 10-20 cm and weight about 100-250 g. The extremely flat body and triangular head make it resemble a dead leaf on the bottom.

It is nocturnal and solitary. Strongly aquatic, it waits on the bottom for prey or threats to come close.

It is carnivorous, eating small fish, insect larvae, and crustaceans. It uses the forelimbs and suction-like movements to capture prey.

Eggs are held in pockets within the skin of the female's back. Developed young frogs later emerge from the back.

Its conservation status is LC. Carrying young in the back skin is one of the most striking reproductive habits among amphibians.