Staurois
natator
is one of the few species with diurnal activity. It
inhabits small to large cascading, rocky streams.
In large streams, it can be seen sitting on
boulders in the splash zone near waterfalls. Rock
frogs are known for their foot flagging behavior.
Signals are given to other individuals by lifting
the foot and exposing the colors of the foot
webbing.
During the night individuals can be found resting on saplings, preferably overhanging the stream.
Males usually grow slightly bigger than 30 mm, females are up to 55 mm. We found this frog up to 1,400 m asl.
During the night individuals can be found resting on saplings, preferably overhanging the stream.
Males usually grow slightly bigger than 30 mm, females are up to 55 mm. We found this frog up to 1,400 m asl.
The tadpoles are reddish with blueish iridescence.
Their eyes are small and seem vestigial. The body
is depressed with a wedged snout. The tail is long
and its fin is low.
Tadpoles of S. natator are highly specialized inhabitants of thick piles of leaf litter in stream sidepools. They strongly resemble centrolenid tadpoles from South- America, a remarkable case of convergence.
Tadpoles of S. natator are highly specialized inhabitants of thick piles of leaf litter in stream sidepools. They strongly resemble centrolenid tadpoles from South- America, a remarkable case of convergence.
