# Surinam Toad (*Pipa pipa*)

> The Surinam toad (Pipa pipa) is a flat, aquatic frog of the Amazon that embeds fertilised eggs in its back skin. Adults reach about 15 cm, eat small fish and invertebrates, and are listed Least Concern.

- **Category:** Amphibian
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Amazon basin freshwater.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/surinam-toad/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Amphibia
- **Order:** Anura
- **Family:** Pipidae
- **Genus:** Pipa

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Pipa pipa |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Murky rivers and ponds |
| Lifespan | 8–12 years |
| Weight | 0.1–0.2 kg |
| Top speed | up to 5 km/h |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Living leaf on the riverbed

Extremely flattened bodies and mottled brown skin mimic dead leaves on muddy bottoms. Star-shaped sensory tubercles cover the surface; eyes are tiny and upward-facing.

## Back-brooded tadpoles

Males press fertilised eggs into the female's dorsal skin, where pockets form and tadpoles develop to froglets before emerging. No free-swimming tadpole stage leaves the parent.

## Amazon basin murk

Slow, tannin-stained rivers and ponds from the Amazon through the Guianas. Nocturnal hunting uses lateral-line sense to detect prey vibrations.

## Oddity of stable rivers

Least Concern across a huge range. Deforestation and sedimentation alter breeding pools locally, but the species remains widespread.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do Surinam toads raise young?

Eggs sink into the mother's back skin and develop there until froglets emerge.

### Do Surinam toads have tongues?

They lack a protrusible tongue and suck prey into the mouth with forelimb scoops.

### Why is the Surinam toad so flat?

Flattening hides the frog against leaf litter and mud on river bottoms.

### Are Surinam toads good pets?

Specialist aquatic setups are required; they are uncommon in trade compared with pond frogs.

### Where does the Surinam toad live?

Slow freshwater across the Amazon basin and Guiana region of South America.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/surinam-toad/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.