Glass frog

The glass frog (or glassfrog) is the common name for the frogs of the amphibian family Centrolenidae. Most glass frogs are a lime green color.  For some glass frogs the skin on the stomach area is transparent. The insides, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract can be seen through the skin.  This is the reason for the common name.

Characteristics
Glass frogs are generally small, ranging from  in length. The frog is known to eat its own young. They are green in color over most of their bodies. The skin along the lower surface of the body is translucent.

Glass frogs are similar in appearance to some green frogs of the genus Eleutherodactylus and to some tree frogs of the family Hylidae. Hylid tree frogs have eyes that face to the side, whilst those of glass frogs face forward.

Distribution
These frogs live from southern Mexico to Panama.  They are through the Andes from Venezuela and the island of Tobago to Bolivia. Some species are in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins, the Guiana Shield region, southeastern Brazil, and northern Argentina.

Biology
Glass frogs are mostly arboreal. They live along rivers and streams during the breeding season.  Many live in montane cloud forests of Central and South America. Some species also live in Amazon and Chocóan rainforest and semi-deciduous forests.

The eggs are usually put on the leaves of trees or shrubs.  The leaves hang over the running water of mountain streams, creeks, and small rivers. One species leaves its eggs over stones close to waterfalls. After they hatch, the tadpoles fall into the waters below. The tadpoles are long, with powerful tails and low fins, suited for fast flowing water. Outside of the breeding season some species live in the canopy.

Genera

Family CENTROLENIDAE
 Subfamily Centroleninae
 Genus Centrolene Jiménez de la Espada, 1872
 Genus Chimerella Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009
 Genus Cochranella Taylor, 1951
 Genus Espadarana Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009
 Genus Nymphargus Cisneros-Heredia & McDiarmid, 2007
 Genus Rulyrana Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009
 Genus Sachatamia Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009
 Genus Teratohyla Taylor, 1951
 Genus Vitreorana Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009
 Subfamily Hyalinobatrachinae
 Genus Celsiella Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009
 Genus Hyalinobatrachium Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch, 1991 - "True" Glass Frogs
 Subfamily Allophryninae
Incertae sedis Ikakogi Guayasamin, Castroviejo, Trueb, Ayarzagüena, Rada, Vilá, 2009

References

 Guayasamin, J. M., S. Castroviejo-Fisher, L. Trueb, J. Ayarzagüena, M. Rada, C. Vilá. 2009. Phylogenetic systematics of Glassfrogs (Amphibia: Centrolenidae) and their sister taxon Allophryne ruthveni. Zootaxa 2100:1-97.
 Kubicki, Brian. Ranas De Vidrio - Costa Rica - Glass Frogs (2007). In Spanish and English. .

Category:Frogs of North America
Category:Frogs of South America