Image of Balatro spp. Copywrite: Universidad de zoologia
I just felt I should write a short note regarding the amazing discovery highlighted in the recent press about the tiny venomous Cephalapod, (Balatro mensis mensis) that has been found predating on treefrogs. It is increadible that no-one has ever filmed or photographed this creature before. As people will know, many frogs are threatened by a variety of factors, including climate change, pesticides and de-forestation. Surely this tiny, tree-dwelling, killer octopus is the last thing they need. Since the findings were published there have been several new reports from the small area it is known to populate.
Apparently, these tiny chocolate-brown predators have evolved a waxy secretion to enable them to spend some of their time out of water and can climb really well. They have good eyesight and are very cunning in how they catch their food, which consists mainly of tree frogs. They sit in wait and then when an ususpecting frog lands nearby they let out a blood-curdling scream and jump on the poor frog’s back. They then invenomate the frog through the skin, turn the frog over so as to get to the soft underside and then devour it. It can kill frogs 5 or 6 times its own size and can increase the scream it lets out depending on the frog’s size. Amazing! Above is the famous spanish picture of the small brown Balatro spp (a male specimen) feeding on a treefrog. Why anyone would want to save these or similar species is beyond me, but for further information on other unusual tree dwelling Octopus species please see: http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
Below is a video clip of a related species.
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Haha! Brilliant, do you think I will get away with putting this in my dissertation was literally writing the amphibian threats section as I read this!!!