The horned spadefoot is a brilliant master of disguise, and it lives right next to us.
This horned spadefoot frog (Megophrys nasuta) is a true ninja of the Asian jungle. Its smooth, matte, spotted skin blends perfectly with the leaves and bark, so you can stand a meter away and not notice it at all. The name "horned spadefoot" is arbitrary, based on its resemblance to the Pelobatidae family (true spadefoot frogs), and the horns above its eyes are camouflage.
Vietnam is part of its habitat. It inhabits cool, humid mountain forests up to 1600 meters above sea level, where it is nocturnal and feeds on worms, insects, and even small lizards. One of the species was recently observed on a mountaintop on Son Tra (a peninsula near Da Nang).
Want to see it with your own eyes? At night in the mountain forests of Sontra, with a good flashlight, you have a chance.
