Melanophryniscus montevidensis - the Naomi Campbell of the amphibian world. This dark, venomous beauty hangs out with Argentinian billionaires in the sand dunes of Uruguay
I'm leaving Argentina and heading to Punta del Este in Uruguay, also known as the St Tropez of South America. Admittedly this is not the most obvious place to be looking for frogs (of the amphibian kind) but I've been invited by a friend of a friend, Miguel Reynal, who just happens to be a very well respected conservationist so I'd be silly to say no.
Shopping Punta style
Punta is super glitzy - high rises, high prices and plenty of plastic surgery. There's not a lot of subtlety here - as demonstrated by the shop names. This is where the South American super rich come to play, jetting in for the weekend and staying in beachfront villas that cost up to $30,000 a week to rent in high season. The small towns and windswept deserted beaches just to the north are super chic and frequented by the likes of Giselle and Naomi Campbell.
Montevideo Red-bellied toad, relaxing on the beach and sporting this season's must-have red and yellow bikini
The sand dunes here are also home to Melanophryniscus montevidensis, alias the Montevideo red-bellied toad, which has more than a few things in common with Miss Campbell. This incredibly rare black toad may be beautiful but is, in fact, highly toxic. It's skin secretes alkaloids - poisonous chemicals which it sequesters from its diet of termites and ants. This black beauty signals its venomous nature by flashing the dramatic red underside of its hands, feet and belly when frightened, warning potential predators not to mess with it.
Naomi Campbell displaying the underside of her hands as a warning sign and if further provoked will attack with a mobile phone.
The sad reality is that I have more chance of spotting a supermodel on these sand dunes than I do a red-bellied toad. Their numbers are in steep decline. It seems they don't like to share their sand dunes with luxury penthouses, bronzed beach bunnies and cavorting Argentinean playboys looking for wife number 7. High-end tourism and red-bellied toads don't mix.
However I am pleased to discover that inland this part of the world is frog heaven. Away from the beach, the fields and ponds are alive with the chirrupy sing song of amorous amphibians. During a heavy rainstorm on the first night I run into another toad, Rhinella dorbignyi. He is literally sitting on my doorstep waiting to meet me.
Rhinella are the family of so-called beaked toads and have ossified snouts, not unlike the late Michael Jackson's
He may be common, but he's a gorgeous lime green burrowing toad who normally spends all day in his dug-out home waiting for something tasty to walk past but has been lured out by the rain and is looking for a mate. He is my first frog prince in Uruguay and I am delighted to meet him, although I'm not sure the feeling is reciprocated.
The happy couple - it was love at first sight
im glad people still care about all the frogs and lizerds. people hate frogs cus they think they are ugly and discosting. but i love them and im glad somone is trying to save them. you are my hero!
Posted by: emma | 05/19/2010 at 07:41 AM
Hi there Bird nanny. I have to admit I am no expert but I looked up the Roccoco Toad and yes it seems to be related and does indeed look similar. Thanks for the comment and for pointing me in the way of a new toad!
Posted by: Amphibian Avenger | 01/20/2010 at 08:50 PM
blog love os frog love... they go together!!! love it lucy!!!
Posted by: jessie doyle | 01/14/2010 at 04:48 PM
Aw...I've seen worse frogs and who knows...? Did you ever get in touch with the Chilean artist dude from the pop up restaurant?
Posted by: penny@more2screen.com | 01/13/2010 at 04:57 PM
Yes the relationship was all very formal and never went beyond hand-holding. In the end he just couldn't give me the kind of commitment I was looking for (what with only living for a couple of years and wanting to spend most of that in a muddy burrow eating worms).
Posted by: Amphibian Avenger | 01/13/2010 at 03:34 PM
Rhinela Genus? Doesn't that include the Roccoco Toad? It appears to have the same crests on the snout
Posted by: birdnanny | 01/12/2010 at 04:33 PM
I love that you're shaking his hand
Posted by: Maxyne | 01/12/2010 at 01:56 PM