The Fascinating El Rincón Stream Frog

10 Reasons the El Rincón Stream Frog is a Fascinating Amphibian

Small Frog, Big Name: The El Rincón Steam Frog is relatively small for a frog, growing to only 3-4 cm in length and is scientifically named Pleurodema somuncurense after its high-altitude home in Argentina’s remote and rugged volcanic Somuncurá Plateau.

Tiny Territories: These frogs are micro-endemics, found only in the headwaters of the Arroyo Valcheta stream fed by the Somuncurá plateau’s hot springs. Their extremely small range makes them uniquely vulnerable to habitat loss.

Water Lovers: Unlike many other amphibians, these frogs spend almost their entire lives in water. Rarely venturing onto land, they are adapted to the cosy and stable environment of the warm streams that let them survive the harsh, dry winters of the region.

Camouflage Experts: Their mottled brown and green skin helps them blend perfectly with the pebbles and plants of their watery home, making them masters of disguise from the invasive Rainbow Trout that prey upon them.

Life in Slow Motion: The frogs lay their eggs in the stream water, where warm temperatures from the hot springs help the tadpoles develop faster than most other amphibians.

Quiet Neighbors: Unlike many frog species that can be identified and tracked down by their loud croaks, the El Rincón Steam Frog is a quiet resident, preferring the serene sounds of its watery home, with only the males making the occasional mating call.

Endangered but Endearing: the species is Critically Endangered and part of Zoological Society of London’s TOP 100 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) worldwide ranking of extinction-facing amphibians.

An Elusive Friend: Because of its incredible rarity, we know very little about the frog’s lifecycle, behaviour, and ecology. By protecting its one and only home, we can hope to learn more about this fascinating species as its population grows.

Threatened but Persistent: The frogs are at risk from habitat destruction, livestock farming, and removal of their water sources, but, thanks to conservation action, they are surviving.

Flagship Species: With help from WLT’s Buy an Acre programme, our partners Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo (FH&D) and Fundación Somuncura aim to safeguard this and many other species by expanding the first privately protected reserve the Somuncurá Plateau has ever seen.