Within the world of amphibians, there are thousands of species of frogs and each one has different characteristics that make it special. Today we are going to talk about a rather strange species of frog. It's about the glass frog. It is in the family of tree frogs and has the unique characteristic of having translucent skin. Hence its name.
In this article we are going to tell you about the characteristics, habitat, feeding and reproduction of the glass frog.
Main characteristics of the glass frog
What makes this frog a unique species is that all of its innards are visible. If the Heras pay attention, they can see all the arteries and the heart pumping blood. Also, if you see them eat you can see how food is moving through the intestine. Scientists try to explain the reason for this transparency, but there is no fixed explanation. Not all species within this family have the same transparency characteristics.
Looking at them from above, most glass frogs are light green in color. Not all species have an underside known as glass. The shades in the color of this frog They vary between uniform green and green with white or yellow spots.
As we have mentioned before, these are amphibians with unique characteristics and this makes them difficult to find. Since they are not frequently seen, usually every time these amphibians are seen, new species are described and the family of these frogs continues to grow.
Crystal branches are named for the transparency of the skin. What is special about them is that all the individuals have a very small size. Adults can measure between 2 and 3 centimeters in length. Although this average size exists, we can find some species within this family that measure up to 8 centimeters in length when they reach maturity.
As with other species of tree frogs, the glass branches have T-shaped terminal phalanges. These phalanges serve to be able to lean on the tree branch and trunks and climb. These phalanges have cartilage sandwiched between them and have expanded tips. These expanded tips help to better adhere to the surface of the trees.
Habitat and behavior
These frogs live high up in the trees. They are normally found bordering mountain streams in the Andes cloud forests of Central and South America. These trees need a large amount of environmental humidity to create the perfect environment for these amphibians.
Among its behavior we find nocturnal habits. As the sun goes down and night falls, he takes the opportunity to gather his food. Since they have the ability to climb trees, they are the ones who decide where to spend most of their time. The most normal thing is that they are not on earth for a long time. Especially in the non-breeding season they are not usually on the ground. They spend most of the time above the trees.
In order to hide from predators they use quite effective camouflage. And it is that they are placed on the underside of the leaves of the trees and, thanks to their glass color, they are perfectly camouflaged. All this adds to the great advantage that its small size gives it.
Feeding and reproduction of the glass branch
The glass branch has a carnivorous diet. It feeds mainly on smaller insects. They usually find these insects on the leaves of trees or located on the branches and trunk. When they go down to the ground and the lake takes advantage of it, they feed on the surrounding mosquitoes. To do this, they use their tongue to hunt these smaller insects.
Regarding the reproduction of the glass frog, in order for mating to occur, the males must first call the females. Once she has called them, they must sit on the leaves, rocks or some plants such as bromeliads. Once the female arrives, she does not descend into the water, but mates in the place where the male called her. In this same place deposit the eggs. Each female is capable of laying between 18 and 30 eggs per clutch.
Unlike other frogs, the care of the young is done by the father. Once the female has laid the eggs and leaves, the male remains to protect the eggs from potential predators. If they see it necessary, he can call other additional females to help him protect the eggs. These females also deposit their other eggs and the male will be able to protect several litters at the same time.
Once the eggs hatch the tadpoles drop into the water. It is there where they begin to develop and live by feeding on the weeds until they become frogs. Among the main predators of the crystal rare eggs we find flies. And it is that these insects lay their eggs on the eggs of the glass branch. Since fly eggs have a much shorter hatching time than frog eggs, when they hatch the worms feed on the embryos of glass frogs.
Some families have a main feature in the breeding season. This characteristic is based on the fact that the males sing while they wait for the eggs to hatch. Scientists believe that this behavior is based on parental care so that the young grow with greater vitality.
Curiosities
All the species that have been found of this type of frog have a similar appearance and a similar color. However, there are tree frogs that have eyes with the ability to look to the sides, while the glass frog has eyes facing forward.
Some members of this species reflect infrared light and can be assessed by photographs using this technique. The detainees think that this ability to reflect infrared can be used as a thermoregulatory advantage of the frog.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the glass frog and its characteristics.
