TROPICAL FROGS 3-25-08

Sounds of the Tropics

SIZE: THE RANGE IS HUGE

Bufo metamorph.

Bufo marinus from Surinam

PAROTOID GLANDS ON TOADS PRODUCE TOXIC ALKALOIDS

Taken in large amounts, the alkaloids are potentially deadly. Taken in small amounts, they may be hallucigenic (and unlawful). My dog, Rex, bit toads several nights in a row. Maybe he liked it –

swollen eyes and all!

TOADS DON’T CAUSE WARTS

VOCAL POUCHES ARE SHAPED DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT SPECIES

SOME GROUPS HAVE ONE VOCAL POUCH, AND OTHERS HAVE TWO

A Very Loud Chorus of Frogs.

Bombina bombina and its unken reflex

UNKEN REFLEX: A DRAB COLORED ANIMAL USES BRIGHT,APOSEMATIC COLORS TO STARTLE A PREDATOR.

Pipa pipa is a strange, totally aquatic frog.

Pseudis paradoxus, is so named because its tadpole is 6” long and it metamorphoses to a 2” adult.

Rhinophrynus dorsalis, the Mexican Burrowing Frog, is surreal in appearance.

Osteocephalus taurinus, Tambopata, Perú. From the shower!

HYLID TOEPADS HAVE MULTIPLE SURFACES AND A CENTRAL MUCOUS GLAND

Hyla marmoratus, Venezuela

Hyla boans, one of the largest species of Hyla (this one from Trinidad).

Hyla geographica (l) & Yellow Cricket Treefrog, H. microcephala (r)

Hour Glass Treefrog, Hyla ebraccata

By David Bull

Hyla ebraccata and eggs – Cockscomb.

Yellow Treefrog, Hyla microcephala in calling posture Cockscomb

Hyla parviceps, Tambopata, Perú.

Hyla rhodopepla, Tambopata, Perú.

Red-footed Treefrog, Hyla loquax – note the yellow body and the red along the margins of the thighs

Stauffer’s Treefrog, Scinax stoufferi - Belize

Mexican Treefrog, Smilisca baudini

Agalychnis annae (l) & Agalychnis craspedopus (r)

Agalychnis calcarifer

By Bill Lamar

Red-eyed Treefrog, Agalychnis callidryas

Red-eyed Treefrogs rock!

A three-some – hanging by one toe (photo by Myra Hughey, 02)

Red-eyed Treefrogs lay their eggs on the undersides of broad leaves over water.

Melissa Kaintz & Myra Hughy doing their “animal observations” at the Red-eyed Treefrog pond, Cockscomb.

Cat-eyed Snakes love to eat Red-eyed Frog Eggs!

A Variety of Phyllomedusas

Phyllomedusa camba, Tambopata, Perú.

Phyllomedusa palliata, Tambopata, Perú.

Phyllomedusa tomopterna, Tambopata, Perú.

Phyllomedusa eggs over a pond, Tambopata, Perú.

Orange-legged Phyllomedusa, applying wax to prevent desiccation.

Photos by Harvey Lilywhite, Natural History Magazine, January, 2002.

Phyllomedusa bicolor, a very large Amazonian monkey frog whose skin secretions are used by the natives to heighten their hearing during hunting trips – they snort the scraped and dried secretions from the skin.

Triprion spatulatus - its flat nose is an adaptation for living in bromeliads. When the frog is sitting in the water among the leaves, its protruding nose looks like a leaf.

Such water holding plants are called phytotelms.

Casque-headed Treefrog, Triprion petasatus - Tikal

Milky Treefrog, Phrynohyas venulosa & its Gook.

Marsupial Frog, Gastrotheca marsupialis

By David Bull

Centrolenid Glass Frogs are Cool!

Centrolenid Glass Frogs are virtually transparent.

Couch’s Spadefoot Toad, Scaphiopus couchi

Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

What happened here?

Harlequin Frog, Atelopus varius

Golden Toad, Bufo periglenes

Bufo arenarum (Argentina) with three forelimbs - 1978.

Marine Toad, Bufo marinus

Bufo marinus can get really gross ticks.

Bufo marinus tadpoles & Mignon Faget drinking Chan.

Bufo valliceps, a male from Tikal

Campbell’s Toad, Bufo campbelli, San Miguel.

Bufo typhonius from the Amazon – Wow!

Rana vallianti, a common pond frog in Belize.

Eleutherodactylus preposypharus, from the San Miguel cave.

Eleutherodactylus rugulosus, a forest frog from Cockscomb

The White-lipped Frog, Leptodactylus labialis. This species makes its whistling call from under water.

The Belizean tink frog, Eleutherodactylus leprus.

Eleuthrodactylus species

Túngara Frog, Physalaemus pustulosus – “ phew” sound emitted as it fills with air (note the floating foam nest of this species, formed when the male kicks about in the jelly of the freshly laid eggs).

Túngara Frog, Physalaemus pustulosus – “chuck, chuck, chuck” sound emitted as it expells its air. This is the portion of the call that attracts females. Unfortunately, it is also the portion of the call that attracts Fish Eating Bats.

Ceratophrys – a very predatory genus.

By David Bull

Where’s Waldo? Hint: it’s in hunting mode.

A cryptic Ceratophrys cornuta, on the forest floor in Tambopata, Perú.

Telmatobius sp., Argentina

Pleurodema brachyops Predator Defense

Mannophryne trinitatis with tadpoles. This is a non-toxic genus of the Dendrobatidae.

By John Moyle

Green and Black Poison Frog, Dendrobates auratus

By David Bull

From the American Scientist.

Strawberry Poison Frog, Dendrobates pumilio. If I do what this frog does weekly, I would have to climb straight up a tree trunk that is 15,200 ft high – each week.

Blue Poison Frog, Dendrobates azureus

By David Bull

Harlequin Poison Frog, Dendrobates histrionicus variation

By David Bull

All not labeled from annual report of the American Museum of Natural History.

By David Bull

Dendrobatid eggs

By David Bull

Lehmann’s Poison Frog, Dendrobates lehmanni

Both by David Bull

Yellow-banded Poison Frog, Dendrobates leucomelas

By David Bull

Red-backed Poison Frog, Dendrobates reticulatus

By David Bull

Dyeing Poison Frogs (or, LSU Poison Frogs), Dendrobates tinctorius

Both by David Bull

Silverstone’s Poison Frog, Epipedobates silverstonei

By David Bull

Phantasmal Poison Frog, Epipedibates tricolor

By David Bull

Kokoe Poison Frog, Phyllobates aurotaenia – one of the three species of frogs known to be dangerous to humans.

The strongest animal toxin known to humans – Golden Poison Frog, Phyllobates terribilis

Elegant Narrowmouth Toad, Gastrophryne elegans

Sheep Frog, Hypopachus variolosus

Hamptophryne boliviana, Tambopata, Perú.

What Frog?!?

The Inn.