Common Name: Morogoro Tree Toad, Robust Forest Toad
Scientific Name: Nectophrynoides viviparus
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad Family
Location: Tanzania
Size: 2.4 inches (6 cm)
The Morogoro Tree Toad lives in the Uluguru Mountains and Udzungwa Mountains in southern Tanzania. It lives in montane forests and grasslands, either in low vegetation or on the ground.
One of the bizarre features of the toad is that it doesn’t lay eggs. They are ovoviviparous, where the eggs develop inside the mother, hatch, and then the mom gives birth to tiny toadlets. This requires internal fertilization of the eggs, another rare characteristic in frogs and toads.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the toad as Least Concern for Extinction. The species is abundant in areas where they are found but their habitat is disappearing due to humans encroachment.
