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Some federal rules applyFalse tomato frog
Dyscophus guineti
Amphibians › Frogs and toads (Anura) › Microhylidae (Narrow-mouthed frogs)
Dyscophus guineti, the false tomato frog or the Sambava tomato frog, is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific values
Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.
| Enclosure temperature | 65–80 °F Source does not consistently separate surface and air readings; prevent overheating. | 246 |
| Adult snout vent length | male max: 2.5 in; female max: 4 in Source main size section; smaller conflicting photo caption not used. | 246 |
| Lifespan | reported average: 6 years; possible max: 10 years Care-sheet estimates. | 246 |
Care guide
Narrow-mouthed frogs (tomato frogs and relatives)
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Forest floor and burrows. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Floor space with deep, moist burrowing substrate and a shallow water dish.
Climate & lighting
| Warm side / daytime | 74–80°F |
| Cool side | 68–72°F |
| Humidity | 60–80% |
Diet
- Insects and worms.
Health watch
- Tomato frogs secrete sticky, irritating skin glue when stressed; wash hands.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical swamps, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forest.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Dyscophus guineti” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Dyscophus guineti, the false tomato frog or the Sambava tomato frog, is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical swamps, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | In addition to its unique appearance and feeding behaviors, Dyscophus guineti is an important species in the Malagasy ecosystem. They are commonly found in mid-altitude regions along the east coast of Madagascar. This species thrives in humid forests and marsh habitats. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | The Dyscophus guineti male frogs are yellowish, and in size 60-65mm. The female frogs are red- orange often with many small reticulations, in size 90-95mm. Some of these frogs have an Odontoma which are tumors from a tooth that also contain tissue. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 78°F (up to 81°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 48°F (down to 41°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 59–66°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 86–90% on average (driest month about 79%) |
| Rainfall | about 1507 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 7 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
Data and studies
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Effect of dietary carotenoids on vitamin A status and skin pigmentation in false tomato frogs (Dyscophus guineti) Brenes-Soto A et al., Zoo biology 2014
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
- USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Environment and husbandry for amphibians Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Overview of amphibians Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- AmphibiaWeb (University of California, Berkeley) Peer-reviewed researchUniversity-hosted database of amphibian biology and conservation.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.