Stuck on you

Pickersgill’s reed frog- Hyperolius pickersgilli

Pickersgill’s reed frog- Hyperolius pickersgilli

The Pickersgill’s reed frog is native to South Africa, from the wetlands of the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is a small frog with a unique color changing trait that marks its growth and development. The Pickersgill’s reed frog juveniles are light to dark brown coloring and a dorsolateral stripe. As they mature, the skin becomes bright green, yellow and white. Confined to a small area of residence, the Pickersgill’s reed frog is encountering many threats to its current habitat. Urbanization, habitat fragmentation, afforestation and pollution are among only some of the problems contributing to the decrease of this species. Due to this loss, it is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.

Photo Credit: Richard Boycott

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/

A Disappearing Act

Hewitt’s Ghost Frog- Heleophryne hewitti

Hewitt’s Ghost Frog (Heleophryne hewitti)

The Hewitt’s ghost frog is a medium-sized frog found in fast-flowing mountain rivers and streams in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. As undetectable as a ghost, this frog’s flat body allows it to hide in confined spaces during the day, such as holes and rock cracks, and emerge during the night. It has long legs, big eyes, vertical pupils, and dark spots covering its entire body. Although the Hewitt’s ghost frog is a poor jumper, it is a skilled swimmer in strong currents and has abnormally large toes to cling to rocks by the water’s edge. Because of this frog’s mysterious nature, the extent of occurrence is considerably low. This fact, along with its small range and loss of habitat, has listed the Hewitt’s ghost frog as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Photo Credit: Richard Boycott

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/

Frogs, not fruit

Natal Banana Frog (Afrixalus spinifrons)

Natal Banana Frog (Afrixalus spinifrons)

The Natal banana frog originates from coastal KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This frog is easily recognizable for its light and dark dorsal bands extending along the head and back, a rather constant design within the species, and rounded snout with black asperities. The Natal banana frog is often associated with low vegetation in shrubland and dry forest, but breed in wetland and temporary pools. It prefers emergent, long-leafed vegetation above water to build its egg nests. Recent loss of wetlands due to urban and recreational development, afforestation, agriculture expansion, pesticides and overgrazing livestock has resulted in a decline of the frog’s habitat and population. The IUCN has listed the Natal banana frog as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Photo Credit: Richard Boycott

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/

Fingers and Toes

Long-toed tree frog (Leptopelis xenodactylus)-- Richard Boycott

Long-toed tree frog- Leptopelis xenodactylus

The long-toed tree frog earned its name from its abnormally long fingers and toes with reduced webbing. A rather large leptopelis, the long-toed tree frog sports a rough, green dorsum and a creamy white underside. Found in south-eastern South Africa, in the southern KwaZulu-Natal Province highlands, this frog makes its home in grasslands and marshes, keeping away from trees. Due to their small range and the declining quality of their habitat, this frog’s population is decreasing in South Africa and sightings are rare. These threats have caused the long-toed tree frog to be listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

Photo Credit: Richard Boycott

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/

Hanging around.

Ecuador Cochran frog (Nymphargus griffithi)

Ecuador cochran frog (Nymphargus griffithi)

Cute Frog of the Week: March 25, 2013

The Ecuador cochran frog is a brightly colored frog found most often on vegetation next to streams in montane forests. Although its name points to Ecuador, it appears to have disappeared from its original region and is now found most commonly in Columbia. The Cochran frog population is currently in a decline due to habitat loss from deforestation for agricultural development, logging and human settlement. The introduction of alien predatory fish to the area and pollution resulting from the spraying of illegal crops has also had a negative effect on the species. Due to these factors, the IUCN has listed them as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Photo by Lucas M. Bustamante via Arkive.

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/

Are you talkin’ to me?

White-spotted cochran frog (Sachatamia albomaculata)

White-spotted cochran frog (Sachatamia albomaculata)

Cute Frog of the Week: March 11, 2013

The white-spotted cochran frog is a nocturnal frog commonly found in humid lowlands and pre-montane slopes. It is native to a wide distribution of land, from the Caribbean slopes (Honduras to Costa Rica), to the Pacific slopes (Costa Rica to Colombia), and is likely to make nests on leaves above water. A brightly colored frog, the Cochran frog is bluish green with yellow to silver spots covering the body. Even its bones are green, which can be seen when viewed from the dorsal side, thanks to their translucent skin. Because of their wide distribution and large population, the white-spotted Cochran frog is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN.

Photo by Jorge Brito via Arkive.

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/

Stealing your heart.

Turquino Robber Frog (Eleutherodactylus turquinensis )

Turquino robber frog (Eleutherodactylus turquinensis )

Cute Frog of the Week: March 4, 2013

The turquino robber frog is a small frog, but large for Eleutherodactylids. It is a semi-aquatic frog found in small mountain streams in cloud forest and fragmented areas at high altitudes. Endemic to Cuba, this frog is known only from the Sierra del Turquino (Sierra Maestra Mountains) in eastern Cuba. These little robbers can be found on stream banks clinging to wet rocks in the splash zone, prepared to dive underwater for a quick getaway if needed. Due to habitat loss and their limited area of occupancy, this species is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN.

Photo by Ariel Rodriguez via Arkive.

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/

Hops and spots.

Marañón poison frog (Excidobates mysteriosus)

Marañón poison frog (Excidobates mysteriosus)

Cute Frog of the Week: February 25, 2013

This little polka-dotted guy is actually one of the most distinctive poisonous frogs. Adults are black or brown, sporting fashionable white “polka-dots” that cover their entire body. This spotting is highly variable from frog to frog, with the exception of a single spot under the chin and an oval spot on the underside of the thighs. The species is known from a single location in the vicinity of Santa Rosa, Cajamarca, Peru and often lives in giant bromeliad flowers. Unfortunately, because of land destruction for coffee farms in the area around Santa Rosa, this species is losing its habitat and becoming severely threatened in the wild. Humans have also begun to want these beautiful amphibians as terrarium pets. These threats have caused the IUCN to classify the spotted frog as endangered by the IUCN.

Photo by Jean-Francois Brousseau via ARKive.

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/

Nestled amongst the leaves.

La Loma robber frog (Pristimantis caryophyllaceus)

La Loma robber frog (Pristimantis caryophyllaceus)

Cute Frog of the Week: February 11, 2013

La Loma robber frog used to be found predominantly in the forests of Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, yet recently this frog has been disappearing in increasing numbers. The deadly chytrid fungus, as well as habitat loss attributed to logging, farming and human encroachment, has had an impact on the wild populations of this species. The population effects have been the most drastic at lower altitudes, which is unusual, as most other species experience the heaviest declines at higher elevations. These small frogs prefer leaf litter and the low vegetation of primary moist and wet forests and rainforests. Leaves play an important role in the life cycle of these frogs, as females lay their eggs on leaves and brood them there. The la Loma robber frog is listed as a near threatened species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Photo by Andreas Hertz via ARKive.

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/

Small, but mighty.

Robber frog (Eleutherodactylus orientalis)

Robber frog (Eleutherodactylus orientalis)

Cute Frog of the Week: February 4, 2013

If you ever visit Cuba and spot this little yellow and black frog, watch out! The robber frog is toxic, and when touched can secrete painful toxins into the skin of other species, including humans. This terrestrial species is endemic and can only be found among leaf litter in hardwood forests of limestone soil, and sometimes on coffee and cacao plantations in Cuba. An increase in agriculture and tourism has resulted in the degradation of these critically-endangered frogs’ heavily restricted range.

Photo by Ariel Rodriguez via Arkive.

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/