The Beauty of Kihansi Spray Toad

The Kihansi spray toad was endemic only to a two hectare area at the base of the Kihansi River waterfall in the Udzungwa escarpment of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania.The Kihansi Gorge is about 4 km long with a north-south orientation. 

A number of wetlands made up the habitat of this species, all fed by spray from the Kihansi River waterfall. These wetlands were characterized by dense, grassy vegetation including Panicum grasses, Selaginella kraussiana moss, and snail ferns.

Characteristics of Kihasi spray toad

1.  The Kihansi spray toad is a small, sexually dimorphic anuran, with females reaching up to 2.9 cm (1.1 in) long and males up to 1.9 cm (0.75 in)
2. The toads display yellow skin coloration with brownish dorsolateral striping.
3.  Females are often duller in coloration, and males normally have more significant markings  Additionally, males exhibit dark inguinal patches on their sides where their hind legs meet their abdomens.
   
   
4.  These toads have webbed toes on their hind legs, but lack expanded toe tips
5.  They lack external ears, but do possess normal anuran inner ear features, with the exception of tympanic membranes and air-filled middle ear cavities.
6. Living in areas within the spray zones of the waterfall experienced near-constant temperatures and 100% humidity. 
   

In 2012, scientists from the center returned a test population of 48 toads to the Kihansi gorge, having found means to co-inhabit the toads with the chytrid fungus. They plan to release a total population of about 1,800 toads after monitoring the initial release for several months.