The Red-Eyed Tree Frog

While studying abroad in Panama last summer, I came across one of my favorite frog species, the Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas). I first found a cluster of eggs hanging from a large leaf that was positioned over a small area of standing water on a cement sidewalk. Red-Eyed Tree Frogs lay their eggs over water so that when the eggs hatch, tadpoles land in the water underneath them. The frog did not recognize that this little area of water would be dried up very soon, so the herpetologist on the site moved the eggs to a safer location. After looking around for awhile on the same plant that the eggs were located, I finally found the frog hanging out on a nearby leaf. Tree frogs are nocturnal and come out to hunt at night for small insects, so when I initially found the frog its eyes were closed. I nudged the frog a little bit and it woke up and revealed its beautiful red eyes. 

Adult Red-Eyed Tree Frogs are bright green, with blue and yellow striped sides, and orange/red feet. When a predator approaches, the frog flashes its bright red eyes and untucks its brightly colored legs, momentarily confusing the predator with these bright colors so that the frog can escape. These frogs can be found in tropical lowlands from southern Mexico, all the way to northern South America. 

Male Red-Eyed Tree Frogs typically mature around 2 inches, while females are larger and mature around 3 inches. This was a very large frog, and I assume it was a female. A few days after the first cluster of eggs were removed, I found another clutch of eggs. This particular clutch of eggs had a considerably larger area of jelly like substance surrounding the eggs than the first clutch that I found. The other eggs must have been a few days old, while this one was most likely laid the night before. The frog stuck around in the same place the entire two weeks I was there, so every once in awhile I would take a look, and I held the frog once or twice just to check out its vibrant colors on its side.