Phrynomedusa dryade

The monkey frog (Phrynomedusa dryade) is a frog that lives in Brazil.  Scientists have only seen it in five places, always in ponds or mountain streams.

The adult male frog is 28.4 to 31.7 mm long from nose to rear end, and the adult female frog can be 36.1 mm long.  Its nostrils are almost as far apart as its eyes.  Its eyes are very big.  Each eyeball is almost as big as the distance between the eyes.

This frog has thin front legs and strong back legs.  It is green in color with clear white lines.  Parts of its toes and legs are bright orange.

The female frog lays eggs in rows near cracks in rocks near the water.  The tadpoles swim upright in the water, with their tails facing down.

Scientists think that habitat loss might be a threat to this frog.  They also think it may have once lived in many more places, but the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis may have killed those frogs.

The scientific name of this frog dryade is from the Greek word dryas, meaning "from the trees." This is the same word that gives us the name Dryad.

First paper

References

Category:Frogs of South America