SC.2023.14. Schimpola, the Schupla-dwelling Frog

One of the most curious species of tree-dwelling frogs in all of Arnd, a Schupla-Dwelling Frog, or Schimpola, is a small, colourful, glow-in-the-dark type of frog, mostly found on the aforementioned Schupla plant. Highly venomous, it mostly survives off insects, insect larvae and fish eggs in the coral beds down in the water below the plants.

— Animals you wouldn't believe, Megamisama University Press, 814AK.

Found in only remote, unihabited areas, this small frog's extremely toxic poison is little-studied, but is considered extremely dangerous, in no small part because it's thought to be related, or may indeed be, one that has been studied, the gamma-di-nitro-tetrodoxin, found in the Nisan Seaplains Pufferfish, one of the most lethal poisons in the world. Schimpola are known to feast on pufferfish eggs and fry of all species and a leading theory is that they've developed an immunity to the toxin through prolonged contact, and may even accumulate the toxin through their tissues, although this is currently disputed.

The native tribes of Undana-Ré atoll are quite clever in using beer, or other alcoholic drink, but beer is preferred, to dissolve some of the sulfur-compounds in the skin of the frog before killing it, preventing them from poisoning themselves when they catch one.

Mostly nocturnal, the bright colours it exhibits help it frighten predators should they find it during the day, when it is usually found hiding under the leafy fronds of large Schupla specimens. At night, its quick tongue lets it make a quick meal of anything too slow to escape, and small enough to fit in its mouth.

Scientific Name

Schimpola Arredians

Conservation Status

Considered threatened, as it is only found on uninhabited atolls, which are becoming rarer and rarer.

Geographic Distribution

• Wet Tropical Climate Distribution

Discovered by

SC.2023.17. Florin Haban