Red-eyed Tree Frog
Agalychnis callidryas · Amphibian, Vertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Hylidae, order Anura, class Amphibia
Animal Category
Reptile/Amphibian
Breed / Variety
Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with a decreasing population trend primarily threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and climate change.
About This Creature
Vibrant green body with striking red eyes featuring vertically elliptical pupils, blue and yellow vertically striped flanks, and bright orange or red toe pads. Females are slightly larger than males, reaching up to 3 inches in length.
Physical Characteristics
Slender body, long adhesive toe pads for climbing, smooth dorsal skin, granular ventral skin, prominent bulging bright red eyes, and slender limbs adapted for leaping.
Behavior & Temperament
Nocturnal and arboreal, solitary except during the rainy breeding season, communicates via "chuck" vocalizations and body trembling, uses flashing bright colors to startle predators (deimatic display).
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico through Central America to Colombia in tropical rainforest climates
Habitat
Tropical Rainforest, Arboreal (spends most of its life in trees near water sources)
Diet & Nutrition
Carnivorous insectivore feeding on moths, flies, crickets, grasshoppers, and smaller frogs, captured using a sticky tongue during nocturnal forays.
Lifespan & Health
Typically 3 to 5 years in the wild, up to 8 years in captivity; prone to fungal infections, metabolic bone disease, and chytridiomycosis; preyed upon by snakes, birds, and bats.
Special Characteristics
Famous for its startling red eyes and brilliant coloration used as a defense mechanism to temporarily blind or confuse predators, making it a cultural icon of rainforest biodiversity.
Ecological Information
Acts as both predator of pest insects and prey for higher-level rainforest carnivores, serving as an important bioindicator of tropical forest ecosystem health.