Pumpkin Toadlet
Brachycephalus ephippium
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAmphibia (Amfibis)
- OrderAnura (Anurs)
- FamilyBrachycephalidae (Saddleback Toads)
- GenusBrachycephalus (Flea Toads)
- SpeciesBrachycephalus ephippium (Pumpkin Toadlet)
The pumpkin toadlet (Brachycephalus ephippium), or Spix's saddleback toad, is a small and brightly coloured species of frog in the family Brachycephalidae. This diurnal species is endemic to southeastern Brazil where it is found among leaf litter on the floor of Atlantic rainforests at an altitude of 200–1,250 m (660–4,100 ft). It is found in Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern São Paulo and southeastern Minas Gerais. Although its type specimen supposedly was collected in Bahia about 200 years ago, there are no confirmed localities in this state and recent reviews consider it more likely that it was from Rio de Janeiro. B. ephippium is locally common, quite widespread compared to most other species of Brachycephalus and it is not considered threatened. B. ephippium feeds on tiny invertebrates and breeds by direct development, with the female laying a few eggs on land that hatch into young toadlets (no tadpole stage). Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Pumpkin Toadlet sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Itatiaia National Park
Maldonada redbelly toad
Melanophryniscus moreirae
Yellow Cururu Toad
Rhinella icterica
Blacksmith Tree Frog
Boana faber
Cope's Eastern Paraguay Tree Frog
Boana polytaenia
Clay Robber Frog
Haddadus binotatus
Mantiqueira Smooth-horned Frog
Proceratophrys mantiqueira
Boie's Frog
Proceratophrys boiei
Teresopolis Treefrog
Aplastodiscus arildae
Elegant Forest Tree Frog
Dendropsophus elegans
Guinle Treefrog
Aplastodiscus leucopygius
Corcovado Tree Frog
Dendropsophus seniculus
Leopard Tree Frog
Boana pardalis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pumpkin Toadlet in Itatiaia National Park?
About 16% of wildlife watchers report a Pumpkin Toadlet sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pumpkin Toadlet in Itatiaia National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Pumpkin Toadlet in Itatiaia National Park in our monthly data.