''Oreophrynella nigra'', or pebble toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the

Guiana Highlands The Guianas, sometimes called by the Spanish loan-word ''Guayanas'' (''Las Guayanas''), is a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories: * French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France * G ...

in Bolívar State, Venezuela, and known from two tepuis, Kukenan-tepui and Yuruani-tepui, both belonging to the Eastern Tepuis.

Description and behaviour

It is a small species of toad: males measure and females in snout–vent length. When threatened, the toad folds its limbs under its body, tucks its head in and tenses in a ball shape. If on an incline (this is how it gets its name), this causes it to roll down the slope, escaping the attention of its predator, and looking like a dislodged pebble. Its cryptic black and dark grey coloring that may appear as dark navy blue to some blends with its sandstone habitat.

Habitat and conservation

Its natural habitats are rocks and peat bogs in montane tepui environments at elevations of

asl American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States of America and most of Anglophone Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual language that is express ...

. It is classified as vulnerable because of its apparently restricted range.

Media interest

This toad was featured on a BBC series, ''Life'', pursued by a tarantula spider.Pebble toad's rock and roll life
Matt Walker, BBC, 15 October 2009, Retrieved 6 November 2015

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q141781 nigra Rolling animals Amphibians of Venezuela Endemic fauna of Venezuela Taxa named by Josefa Celsa Señaris Taxa named by José Ayarzagüena Amphibians described in 1994 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Amphibians of the Tepuis