Photo 4.4
Darwin's Frog Rhinoderma darwini (Vulnerable) from central Chile and nearby Argentina is one of only two members of the family Rhinodermatidae. The females deposit eggs in the leaf litter. When the larvae inside the eggs begin to move, the adult males ingest the eggs and incubate them in their vocal sacs. The larvae develop inside the male and emerge after metamorphosis, as shown in this photo. This species appears to be in decline, even in well protected habitats, for unclear reasons. The only other member of the family, Rhinoderma rufum from Chile, disappeared around 1978, and it is Possibly Extinct.
Photo: © Michael and Patricia Fogden.