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Suriname Toad
Vincent A. Vos, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Frogs & toads

Suriname Toad

Pipa pipa (Linnaeus, 1758)

LC Least Concern

Names

EnglishSuriname Toad
DutchSurinaamse pad
SpanishAparo
Chinese负子蟾
Sranan Tongopipa-todo
Sranan Tongotodo (general name for the group)
Scientific namePipa pipa (Linnaeus, 1758)

About this species

The common Surinam toad, the Suriname toad, or star-fingered toad (Pipa pipa), is a fully-aquatic species of frog, in the family Pipidae, with a widespread range across much of tropical South America and the island of Trinidad. The females of this species are well-known for "incubating" their eggs on their backs, in honeycomb-like depressions directly within the skin, releasing fully-formed froglets after a period of 4–5 months. Pipa pipa is an ambush predator, lying in-wait underwater for prey to inevitably wander too close, swiftly inhaling the unsuspecting creature using suction feeding. Additionally, the Surinam toad's rather flat body shape, combined with rather dark, dull coloration, serves as effective camouflage in the murky waters they inhabit, mimicking a dead leaf or piece of rotting wood as they await their next meal.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAmphibia
OrderAnura
FamilyPipidae
GenusPipa

In Suriname

415Records in Suriname
22iNaturalist observations
1716First record
2026Latest record

Where it has been recorded

  • Paramaribo49
  • Sipaliwini31
  • Para23
  • Commewijne13
  • Saramacca6
  • Brokopondo1
  • Marowijne1
  • Nickerie1

Districts with at least one record that has coordinates. Shaded districts have records.

Records by month

All years combined.

Sources & credits

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Related species in Suriname