Tomato Frog
Dyscophus antongilii
Tomato Frog: Madagascar's Ketchup Packet With Legs
Chunky, cherry-red, and ready to glue up trouble—this Madagascar native turns survival into performance art.
- Max Size
- Females 4 in / 230 g, males 2.5 in / 41 g
- Status
- Least Concern (was Near Threatened)
- Eggs Per Clutch
- 1,000–1,500 on water surface
- Tadpole Speedrun
- Hatch in 36 hrs, froglets in 45 days
- Trade Rule
- CITES Appendix II
Swamp Life & Snack Attacks
Hiding in leaf litter from Antongil Bay gardens to slow streams, these ground-dwellers ambush beetles, flies, and worms by night then nap underground by day.
Glue Gun & Balloon Defense
Threatened? They ooze sticky white latex that gums up snake mouths and irritate humans, then puff into a red beach ball too big to swallow.
Fun facts about Tomato Frog
- Nature’s glue gun: one squirt and snakes are literally stuck on first base.
- Puffs up like a tomato balloon—because looking bigger always works at the bar.
- Drops a thousand eggs then ghosts; fastest family planning in the swamp.
Tomato Frog vs Yellowjacket Wasp
Tomato Frog wins with toxic skin and swampy patience!
In a misty forest clearing, the bright red Tomato Frog puffs up and dares the buzzing Yellowjacket to land. The wasp zips in with its stinger ready for repeat jabs, but the frog's sticky toxin warns it off like a flashing stop sign.
The wasp's swarm tactics falter against the amphibian's cold-blooded calm and thicker hide, leaving it hovering just out of reach. One well-timed lunge from the frog seals the deal, sending the insect packing back to the treetops.
Biology favors the forest defender here—warning colors and chemical armor beat aerial aggression every time.
Amphibia · Forest · Cost 2
More Amphibia animals · Field Journal