My basement spawns frogs. This is today's frog, who has now been released in the woods.
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Reptiles, Amphibia, Fishes and Lower Chordata. Written by Richard Lydekker and others. Illustration by J. Green. Published in 1912.
Internet Archive
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Work in progress for some lucky Monkey Frogs by Slugger O'Toole
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Keep Your Eye on the Red-Eyed Tree Frog
A striking specimen of frog, the red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) is found in the tropical regions of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to northern Columbia. Its primary habitat are rainforests, but they can also be found in wetlands or mangroves- anywhere with abundant water and high humidity.
Though small-- between 4-7 cm (1.57 -2.76 in) long and less than 15 g (0.53 oz)-- the red-eyed tree frog is well known for its bright, distinctive coloration. The body is bright green, with cream bellies and light blue streaks along the sides and hind legs. These features help individuals blend in to the leaves they rest on, while still being able to startle predators with bright colors when threatened. Likewise, the eyes are a vivid red which gives A. callidryas its common name. Even when its eyes are closed, this species has a distinctive look; rather than true eyelids, they have a semi-translucent eyelid called a nictating membrane that allows them to sense when potential predators are approaching.
Adults and juveniles alike face many threats due to their small size. Eggs are a popular food for polybid wasps and snakes, while hatchlings are more commonly predated upon by shrimp and large fish. Mature adults become food for aquatic spiders, snakes, birds, and bats. However, the skin of A. callidryas contains several mild poisons that serve to deter predators through a foul taste. The red-eyed tree frog itself is a nocturnal carnivore, consuming primarily insects and the occasional tadpole. This species spends most of its life in the trees, and rarely descends to the ground.
Red-eyed tree frogs mate during the rainy season, from October to March. Males call loudly to attract females, and wrestle each other for primary access; females are attracted to males with the loudest calls, but must often face a gauntlet of lesser males attempting to mate with her before she can reach her target. Some males may also shake the branches they sit on to detach rival males; this vibration is especially attractive to females. Following successful mating, the female lays about 40 eggs on the underside of a leaf overhanging a small body of water.
Eggs typically hatch 6 or 7 days after being laid, and hatchling drop from the leaf into the water below. A. callidryas spends about 45 days as a tadpole, after which time they emerge from the water and move upwards to begin their lives in the trees. Young red-eyed tree frogs don't become fully mature for another two years in the wild, but may not begin mating for another two years; because they only live about 5 years in the wild, this means that individuals may only mate once or twice in their lifetimes.
Conservation status: Currently the red-eyed tree frog is considered Least Concern by the IUCN. However, populations are decreasing at a rapid rate due to a combination of threats including deforestation, capture for the pet trade, and a highly infectious disease known as chytrid fungus.
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Megan Lorenz
Juan Gabriel Abarca
Brian Gratwicke via iNaturalist
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Finding frogs while camping.
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She is very polite
[ID: Two pictures of Rice the greeny blue and brown amazon milk frog sitting on a wall mounted fake rock in their enclosure]
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