Pipa pipa
Silhouette: Dein Freund der Baum (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The common Surinam toad, the Suriname toad, or star-fingered toad (Pipa pipa), is a fully-aquatic species of frog, in the family Pipidae, with a widespread range across much of tropical South America and the island of Trinidad. The females of this species are well-known for "incubating" their eggs on their backs, in honeycomb-like depressions directly within the skin, releasing fully-formed froglets after a period of 4–5 months. Pipa pipa is an ambush predator, lying in-wait underwater for prey to inevitably wander too close, swiftly inhaling the unsuspecting creature using suction feeding. Additionally, the Surinam toad's rather flat body shape, combined with rather dark, dull coloration, serves as effective camouflage in the murky waters they inhabit, perfectly mimicking a dead leaf or piece of rotting wood as they await their next meal.
P. pipa is a strictly aquatic frog and the largest member of its genus. The species has an exceptionally depressed body, almost entirely flat and with a broad, flat, triangular head, without a tongue. The body is similar in appearance to a mottled brown leaf. The feet are broadly webbed with the front toes having small, star-like... Wikipedia →
Recording1:30
Suriname · 1970
© M.S. Hoogmoed · XC882833 · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Academy of Sciences | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Ueno Zoological Gardens (West Garden) | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 5 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Adventure Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Haus des Meeres | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 8 | Dallas World Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | AOAO Sapporo | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 10 | Greater Cleveland Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Suriname Toad sighting in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 44 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–June and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Suriname Toad in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Suriname Toad sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Suriname Toad sightings, Tambopata National Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Yasuní National Park (Ecuador, about 10%).
Same order: Anura
The closest relatives of the Suriname Toad that you can see in Tambopata National Reserve (order Anura, Frogs and Toads) are Eastern Cane Toad (about 50%), Surinam Horned Frog (about 40%) and Sharp-nosed Jungle Frog (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Suriname Toad is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Tambopata National Reserve (15 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
