IUCN Conservation Status –
Least Concern
Extinct In The Wild
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
This frog has a many sharp pointed projections on its head, this is where it gets its name of the crowned tree frog or sometimes the spiny-headed tree frog. Our two crowned tree frogs share their home with our blue poison dart frogs in Tropical Trails.
This species of frog typically lives in lowland forests in eastern Mexico, eastern Honduras, central Costa Rica and central Panama, where it hides in the canopies of the trees. Though this species has also be sighted living in caves, as well as coffee and banana plantations.
Interesting facts!
- This species is highly arboreal, meaning it spends most of its life in trees. It lives in tree hollows or bromeliads, which provide shelter and water.
- This species is more active at night where the males mating call will be heard but he cannot be seen. The male will set up next to a temporary water body such as a hollow tree or with the water trapped in a plant such as a bromeliad. The female will lay her eggs in these bodies of water so that her tadpoles will be safe from predators.
- The frog’s mottled brown, grey, and green coloration helps it blend in with the bark and leaves of the trees it inhabits, providing excellent camouflage against predators.
- This frog has been found in both pristine forests and disturbed habitats like plantations, showing some adaptability to changing environments.
Conservation
The crowned tree frog is currently classed as being of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. However throughout their range, these animals are currently facing loss of their forest habitat.