UniqueFrogs.com

Costa Rica frogs are the musicians of the night

Felipe — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:47:37 +0000

¨Frogs do for the night what birds do for the day: they give it a voice¨, naturalist Archie Carr once observed. ¨And the voice is a varied and stirring one that ought to be better known.¨ Carr cherished the pleasing ¨swamp songs¨ of his native Florida, but he also recognized that ¨perhaps the reason frog songs are not really appreciated is that they are sung in places where mosquitoes and snakes live¨.

The musical repertoires of frogs easily rival those of birds in their richness, variety, and beauty. Although many humans characterize the calls of the male frogs as ¨croaks¨ or ¨ribbitts¨, the sounds are far more diverse, incorporating snores, grunts, trills, clucks, chirps, buzzes, rings, whoops, whistles, growls, quacks, and various other noises.

Scientists have identified about a half dozen or so different types of frog calls. The best known is the advertisement call, performed by males during the breeding season to signal their species, sex, location, and readiness to mate. Some males perform solo, while others sing in giant choruses (up to 1.000 frogs or more), which are audible more than a mile away!

Text from ¨Frogs¨ by David Badger - year 2000

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Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:06:54 +0000

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Phyllobates Vittatus (Golfo dulce poison dart frog)

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:46:20 +0000

Phyllobates Vittatus, which is endemic to Costa Rica, is one of two species of Phyllobates that reside in

Costa Rica. The other species, the striped poison dart frog (Phyllobates Lugubris), is very similar in appearance and biology.

They inhabit in distinct geographic regions. Phyllobates Vittatus is restricted to the wet forest of Golfo Dulce area in the south-western part of Costa Rica, at elevations between 30 and 70 meters (100 and 230 ft).

Male Phyllobates Vittatus reah a maximum of 1 inch, females grow somewhat larger, reaching a maximum size of 1 1/1 inches. Phyllobates Vittatus lives in the leaf litter of forested streams valleys. When approached, these shy creatures hide in holes found between roots or in rock crevices. They are highly territorial, and warnings to approaching intruders often escalate into vigorous grappling and wrestling.

Dendrobates tinctorius (or Dyeing Dart frog)

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:46:05 +0000

Dendrobates tinctorius (or Dyeing Dart frog) is a species of poison dart frog, the type species of the genus Dendrobates.

This species is distributed throughout the eastern portion of the Guiana Shield, including parts of Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, and nearly all of

French Guiana.It is the largest species, reaching lengths of 50 mm. The species encompasses a great diversity of colour and patterning variants (morphs). Luckily the conservation status of this frog is least concern and it is not in danger of extinction.

	Unique Frogs: Dendrobates Tinctorius	$50
	Unique Frogs: Dendrobates Tinctorius 11	$50
	Unique Frogs: Dendrobates Tinctorius 9	$50

Dendrobates Auratus (Green and black poison dart frog)

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:45:55 +0000

Dendrobates Auratus is the largest poison dart frog in

Costa Rica. Adults measure from 30 to 39 mm (1-1/8 to 1-1/2 inches).

It is also the only frog in the country with a highly variable pattern of yellow-green, bluish-green, or blue spots on a black background. Dendrobates Auratus is found from southern Nicaragua to north-western

Colombia, from sea level to 800 meters (2,600 ft).

In Costa Rica, it inhabits rainforest on the

Caribbean coast, though a geographically isolated population also occurs on the southern pacific coast.Dendrobates Auratus is a shy species and is generally found deeper in the forest interior than the other 2 Costa Rican Dendrobates species. Most activity takes place early mornings, especially after it has rained.

	Unique Frogs: Dendrobates Auratus	$50
	Unique Frogs: Dendrobates Auratus (Green and black poison dart f	$50
	Unique Frogs: Dendrobates Auratus 4	$50

Colostethus Talamancae (Talamanca rocket frog)

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:45:39 +0000

Although the three species of colostethus found in

Costa Rica are members of the poison dart frog family, they lack the toxins and bright coloration characteristic of that family.Each is a small frog. The body is brown, light, longitudinal stripes run along the back and sides. These frogs are commonly referred to as rocket frogs because of the way they launch themselves headfirst into streams when startled. Male Colostethus Talamancae reach a maximum size of 22 mm (7/8 inch); females reach a maximum of 24 mm (1 inch). Colostethus Talamancae ranges from southern Costa Rica to Panama, Colombia, and

Ecuador.It usually lives near rapid flowing, clear mountain streams at elevations between sea level and 750 meters (2,450 ft), although it has also been found at some distance from any stream. Talamanca rocket frogs are strictly active during the day, but prefer periods of low light; males call in the early morning and late afternoon, or during cloudy spells.

	Unique Frogs: Colostethus Talamancae	$50
	Unique Frogs: Colostethus Talamancae 2	$50
	Unique Frogs: Colostethus-Talamancae	$50

Atelopus chiriquiensis

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:45:30 +0000

This highland toad lives in the cloud forests of the Talamanca mountain range in Costa Rica and adjacent

Panama, at altitudes from 1,400 to 2,500 meters (4,600 to 8,200 ft).

The Chiriqui harlequin frog prefers a relatively cool and humid climate. These enigmatic amphibians are highly variable in color.

This little studied frog was found solely on Barva Volcano and in the northern most part of the Talamanca mountain range that forms the southern border of the

Central Valley in Costa Rica, at elevations above 2,000 meters (6,550 ft).

	Unique Frogs: Atelopus Chiriquiensis	$50
	Unique Frogs: Atelopus Chiriquiensis 2	$50

Agalychnis Calcarifer

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:40:49 +0000

Common name: Splendid Leaf-Frog

Type Locality: Río Durango, Esmeraldas province, Ecuador

Etymology: The name calcarifer comes from the Latin words calcar (spur) and fero (carry or bear). The name is given due to the small flap of skin found on the heel known as the calcar.

Description: This moderately large species of Leaf-Frog is extremely attractive, and for this reason it is commonly referred to as ¨splendid leaf frog¨. The feed from insects and is in danger of extinction.

Class: Amphibia, Order: Anura, Family: Hylidae, Subfamily: Phyllomedusinae

Distribution: Due to the fact that very few locations for this species have been discovered, very little information regarding its full distribution is available. The Agalychnis Calcarifer has been collected from various sites along the Caribbean slopes in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the pacific lowlands of Colombia, and Ecuador. The Nicaraguan location is actually along the border of Costa Rica-Nicaragua in the region of Rio San Juan.

Unique Frogs: Agalychnis Calcarifer

$50

Epipedobates Tricolor frog

Felipe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:32:53 +0000

The Epipedobates tricolor has its origins in Central America. The size is aproximately 1.5cm to 2.5cm. It has colors that can be Dark colored body, with colored stripes, running length of body, colors vary, due to inbreeding and origins of this frog.
Setup: Cool(73-82 degrees), Humid(75+%), Densely planted vivaria, many hiding places.
The Epipedobates tricolor likes to eat fruit flys, crickets, termites, ants, etc.
They are Very Shy, males love to call, sounds like a loud cricket. Will not hesitate to show you its flashmarks on its thighs or its stomach.

	Unique Frogs: Epipedobates Tricolor	$50
	Unique Frogs: Epipedobates Tricolor 3	$50

Phyllobates Lugubris (Striped poison dart frog)

Felipe — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:46:12 +0000

Phyllobates Lugubris is somewhat small, males reach 21 mm (7/8 inch), females reach 24 mm (1 inch).

They have a black background color, though the mottling on the limbs is yellowish-green.

Phyllobates Lugubris inhabits the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica and

Panama, from sea level to 650 meters (2,150 ft). Poison dart frogs of the genus Phyllobates are among the most toxic frogs known.

Although both Costa Rican species are not as dangerously poisonous as some of their South American relatives, you should always wash your hands after handling these frogs.