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AmphibianTerrestrialEasy
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Brown Tomato Frog
Dyscophus insularis
The Antongil Tomato Frog is the smallest and brownest member of the tomato frog trio. Adapted to dry deciduous forests instead of rainforests, it requires slightly lower humidity than its close cousins.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Microhylidae
Subfamily:Dyscophinae
Genus:Dyscophus
Species:Dyscophus insularis
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
50 - 70 %
Day temperature
26 - 30 °C
Night temperature
22 - 24 °C
Ambient temperature
26 - 30 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Endemic to the dry deciduous forests, arid shrublands, and savannahs of western Madagascar. Unlike the humid rainforest-dwelling Dyscophus guineti, this species is adapted to extreme dry seasons, surviving by burrowing deep into the sandy clay soil for months during estivation.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Characterized by a stout, rounded, and compact body with short limbs. Adults typically range between 4-7 cm in length, with females being significantly larger. The skin is smooth. The coloration is cryptic, featuring shades of clay brown, grey, or beige, allowing it to blend in with dry leaves and soil.
Behavior and Habits: A nocturnal, burrowing frog that spends the day buried in the soil or leaf litter. They are ambush predators, waiting for prey to pass. When threatened, they inflate their bodies to appear larger. Males produce a low, resonant call during the breeding season following heavy rains.
Morphology: Sexual dimorphism is distinct in adult size. Females are much larger and bulkier. Males are smaller, more slender, and often develop a darker throat area during the breeding season.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A horizontal terrarium (minimum 60x45x30 cm) is recommended. The setup must include a deep, loose substrate (coconut fiber mixed with sand and soil, at least 8-10 cm deep) to allow burrowing behavior. Provide flat rocks, cork bark shelters, and a very shallow water dish, as they are poor swimmers.
Lighting and Heating: Requires a warm habitat: daytime temperatures of 26-30°C, dropping to 22-24°C at night. Avoid overheating above 32°C. Provide gentle LED lighting and low-output UVB (2-5%) to prevent metabolic bone disease and support plant growth if live plants are used.
Humidity and Hydration: Adapted to lower humidity than other tomato frogs, keeping it around 50-60%. Provide good ventilation. Lightly mist the enclosure once or twice a week, simulating dry forest conditions. A shallow water bowl allows hydration without the risk of drowning.
Feeding and Supplementation: Insectivorous. Feed small to medium-sized crickets, roaches, and worms. Avoid prey that is too large due to their small mouth size. Dust all food with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements 2-3 times a week for juveniles, and once or twice a week for adults.
Compatibility: Generally peaceful and can be housed in small groups or pairs in a spacious terrarium. Ensure all individuals are of similar size to prevent accidental ingestion or harassment. Do not house with other species to prevent hybridization and disease transmission.
Health and Common Diseases: When stressed, they secrete a white, sticky, toxic mucus from their skin that can irritate eyes and mucous membranes. Never handle with bare hands. They are susceptible to skin infections (such as red leg syndrome) if housed in stagnant, overly damp conditions.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Endemic to the dry deciduous forests, arid shrublands, and savannahs of western Madagascar. Unlike the humid rainforest-dwelling Dyscophus guineti, this species is adapted to extreme dry seasons, surviving by burrowing deep into the sandy clay soil for months during estivation.
Origin
Africa and MadagascarEast Asia
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 5.2 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 5.2 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 5.2 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.
Related species
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