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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Cuban
tree frog |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Amphibia |
| ORDER: |
Anura |
| FAMILY: |
Hylidae
(tree frogs) |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Osteopilus
septentrionalis |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Cuban
tree frogs are the largest tree frog species in
North America. They vary in color from dark green
to pale gray, often changing color to match their
environment. Cuban tree frogs may have spots that
sometimes disappear, depending on the environment.
Their feet have sticky pads on the toes that allow
them to cling to many different surfaces. |
| FEMALE |
Females
tend to grow larger than males. |
|
| SIZE: |
|
| MALE |
5.1-6.3
cm (2.04-2.5 in.) |
| FEMALE |
Approximately
12.7 cm (5.08 in.) |
|
| WEIGHT: |
Approximately
57 g (2 oz.) |
|
| DIET: |
Cuban
tree frogs are voracious predators; they will eat
almost anything they can fit in their mouths. They
are mainly insectivorous, feeding on large cockroaches
and moths. Large adults are known to consume everything
from frogs, small lizards and snakes to young mice
and even hatchling birds. |
|
| INCUBATION: |
|
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
Females
lay about 3,000 eggs in two long strings in shallow
pools, ditches, and ponds. |
| LARVAL
DURATION |
The
tadpole stage is about 30 to 60 days. |
|
| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
5-7
years |
|
| LIFE
SPAN: |
Approximately
5-10 years |
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| RANGE: |
Native
to Cuba and nearby islands; introduced throughout
the Caribbean and into southern Florida |
|
| HABITAT: |
They
are found only where temperatures fall no lower
than 10°C, with daytime temperatures between
23°-29°C. They prefer areas of high humidity,
commonly occurring in trees and very large plants
along waterways. |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
These
frogs are notorious for eating other frogs. Collectors
of the species have found that if there are other
species of frogs in the same tank, Cuban tree frogs
have been known to feast on their neighbors. |
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| 2. |
When a frog swallows a meal, its bulgy eyeballs
close and sink in to its head. The eyeballs apply
pressure and actually push a frog's meal down its
throat. |
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| 3. |
Contrary to popular belief, humans get warts from
human viruses, not from frogs and toads! Frogs and
toads have various glands, which secrete poisons
for protection. These secretions can cause skin
irritations and may be poisonous to some species
of animals. |
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| 4. |
In
general, frogs have smooth skin while toads have
textured skin. |
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| 5. |
A
group of frogs is called an 'army'; a group of toads
is called a 'knot'. |
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| 6. |
Frogs
with long tongues go by the "see it, snap at
it" technique of feeding. If it is small and
moves, it is perceived as prey. |
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Like
all amphibians, Cuban tree frogs have porous skin
and respond quickly to changes in the environment.
The health of their populations can be an indicator
of the health of the environment. Major threats
include habitat loss, resource exploitation, environmental
contaminants, disease and parasitism, introduced
species, and global climate change.
This
species has been widely introduced throughout
the Caribbean and into southern Florida, and appears
to have a negative impact on the ecosystem. In
the areas of introduction, native tree frog populations
have declined, probably due to predation and competition
for resources.
Cuban
tree frogs appear to be doing especially well
in residential areas, and are spreading very rapidly
throughout the Caribbean. This does not bode well
for native species of tree frog, which aren't
able to compete with the larger Cuban species.
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|
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| |
|
|
| Conant,
Roger, and J.T. Collins. Peterson Field Guides:
Reptiles and Amphibians. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Co., 1958. |
|
|
Flank, Lenny Jr. Herp Help. New York: Howell
Book House, 1998. |
|
|
Mattison, Chris. Frogs and Toads of the World.
New York: Fact On File Publications, 1987.
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| USGS.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/narcam/idguide/bterrest.htm |
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| http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/species/cuban.html |
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http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/osteopilus/
o._septentrionalis$narrative.html#reproduction |
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