Charadrahyla nephila

The Oaxacan cloud forest tree frog (Charadrahyla nephila) is a frog that lives in high places in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico.  Scientists have seen it between 680 and 2256 meters above sea level.  They think it might also live in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas.

Appearance

The adult male frog is 52.9 to 61.9 mm long from nose to rear end] and the adult female frog is 59.6 to 80.7 mm long.

The adult male frogs and adult female frogs are different colors.  The female frog is red-brown and the male frog is gray-brown to almost pink.  The bars on the female frog's legs can be a little green, and the bars on the male frog's legs are brown.  Female frogs have spots on their sides, and male frogs have light colored sides with green, brown, or black spots.

Reproduction

These frogs lay eggs in streams.  The eggs stick to rocks or to wood.  They lay 980 to over 2000 eggs at a time.  The eggs are about 2 mm long.

Threats

This frog is in danger of dying out.  This is because human beings change the forests where it lives, cutting down trees for lumber and to build towns.

Name

The scientific name for this frog nephilia comes from the Greek language words "nephos" for clouds and "filia" for to love.  Together, it means "the frog that loves clouds."

References

Category:Frogs of North America