Triprion spinosus

The spiny-headed tree frog, spine-headed tree frog, crowned hyla, coronated tree frog, or spinyhead tree frog (Triprion spinosus) is a frog that lives in Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala.  Scientists have seen it between 800 and 2,068 m meters above sea level in Mexico, 95 meters above sea level in Honduras, and 350 and 1330 meters above sea level in Costa Rica and Panama.

This frog used to be the only species in the genus Anotheca, but then scientists moved it to Triprion.

Appearance

The adult male frog is 68 mm long from nose to rear end and the adult female frog is 80 mm long.  It has large, bony head with spines on it. In adult frogs, the skin has partially grown into the bone.  Younger frogs do not have this.  These frogs are dark brown in color, black bellies, and white sides.  Male frogs do not have vocal slits in their throats, but they can sing anyway.

Young

The female frog lays her eggs in holes in trees.  First the male frog sits in the hole and sings.  Then the female frog comes to him.

The female feeds the tadpoles by laying unfertilized eggs in the water inside the tree hole.  Scientists have also seen the same female lay a second clutch of fertilized eggs in the same hole as her first clutch.  Then the younger tadpoles disappear.  The scientists believe that the older tadpoles eat them.

The tadpoles are white when they first hatch.  Later they turn dark brown and blue-gray.

Threats

This frog is nearly in danger of dying out but there are fewer of them than there were.  This is because human beings change the places where the frog lives.  Human beings cut down the forests for wood, farms, towns, and places for animals to eat grass.
References

Category:Frogs of South America