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AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
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Mueller's termite frog
Dermatonotus muelleri
Mueller's termite frog is a unique South American species perfectly adapted for a subterranean life. It features a globose body specialized for excavating and feeding on termites.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Microhylidae
Subfamily:Gastrophryninae
Genus:Dermatonotus
Species:Dermatonotus muelleri
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 80 %
Day temperature
25 - 27 °C
Night temperature
20 - 22 °C
Ambient temperature
25 - 27 °C
Brumation temperature
15 - 18 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to southern South America, distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Inhabits Chaco grasslands, open savannas, and seasonal dry forests, adapted to survive underground during dry spells.
Taxonomy and Genetics: The sole representative of the genus Dermatonotus, belonging to the family Microhylidae. It is a highly specialized fossorial species, with genetics and morphology tailored to subterranean life and myrmecophagous feeding.
Behavior and Habits: Primarily fossorial and nocturnal animal. Spends most of the year buried in moist soil, emerging to the surface almost exclusively during heavy seasonal rains to breed and feed.
Morphology: Extremely stocky, almost globose body, with a small head and very narrow mouth. Reaches 6-8 cm in length. Skin is thick and wrinkled, olive-gray or dark brown with large yellow or cream spots on the flanks.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a spacious terrarium (at least 60x40x40 cm) with a very deep (at least 15-20 cm) and soft substrate, composed of moist coco fiber, peat, and unfertilized sand. Insert flat bark slabs as daytime hides.
Lighting and Heating: Weak LED light to simulate the photoperiod. The temperature should be maintained between 24°C and 28°C during the day, with a night drop to 20-22°C. Use a thermostat-controlled heat cable on a side wall.
Humidity and Hydration: Ambient humidity around 70-80%. The substrate must be kept constantly moist but not waterlogged. Provide a wide but very shallow water bowl to allow skin hydration.
Feeding and Supplementation: Highly specialized diet. In the wild, it consumes huge quantities of termites and ants. In captivity, it accepts small crickets, fruit flies, and very small mealworms. Supplement with calcium and vitamins regularly.
Compatibility: Peaceful species towards conspecifics. Can be kept in small groups in the same terrarium, provided there is enough space and substrate depth to dig separate burrows without mutual interference.
Health and Common Diseases: The main risk is dehydration if the substrate dries out completely, or the onset of skin infections if the soil becomes soiled and is not replaced regularly. Monitor for snout abrasions.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to southern South America, distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Inhabits Chaco grasslands, open savannas, and seasonal dry forests, adapted to survive underground during dry spells.
Origin
Cosmopolitan or introducedExtra-Amazon South AmericaNorth America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 7.42 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 7.42 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 7.42 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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