Red-eyed Tree Frog
Agalychnis callidryas
Online Biology Dictionary
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| Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) Image: Carey James Balboa. |
The Red-eyed Tree Frog, unlike many brightly colored Central and South American frogs, is not poisonous.
By day, these frogs take measures to camouflage themselves: They keep still and hide their bright blue flanks with their legs. They also push their feet, which are bright orange, under their bellies and shut their eyes. In this posture, most of the exposed surfaces of the body are green and the frog blends with the surrounding foliage. Also to a certain degree, they can actually change the color of their skin.
Young frogs are brown, but turn green as they mature. Like most tree frogs, they descend from the trees to breed in ponds and puddles.
Size: Males: 2-2½ inches (5.0-6.4 cm); Females: 2½-3 inches (6.4-7.6 cm).
Family: Hylidae
Habitat: Neotropical rainforests; both lowland and montane.
Geographic Range: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama.