Reticulated glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium valerioi)

Cute Frog of the Week: June 17, 2012

We’re bringing you this special Sunday edition of Cute Frog of the Week in honor of father’s day!

The reticulated glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium valerioi) is considered the better parent between the pair. In this family of frogs, the mother is the one who leaves shortly after mating, leaving the father to do the work. The male guards the eggs both at night and during the day and will aggressively attack other males that come near the eggs. Researchers have seen males guard up to seven clutches on a single leaf! The male even has a guarding posture—he faces the eggs and keeps one hand on the clutch. The coloration of the males’ skin is strikingly similar to that of their egg clutches, likely to fool a hungry wasp into approaching the guarding father, rather than the actual clutch. This allows the father to drive off or consume the potential predator. One thing’s for sure: you wouldn’t want to tangle with this stay-at-home dad!

The reticulated glass frog is a species of small frogs that can be found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama. This species is in no immediate danger nor has any prominent threats to its population.

Photo by Alejandro Arteaga via Flickr.

Every week the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project posts a new photo of a cute frog from anywhere in the world with an interesting, fun and unique story to tell. Be sure to check back every Monday for the latest addition.

Send us your own cute frogs by uploading your photos here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cutefrogoftheweek/