#centrolene

Savage's Glass Frog (Centrolene savagei), male guarding eggs, family Centrolenidae, Colombia

The female deposits the eggs on a leaf overhanging the water. The male guards the eggs until the tadpoles hatch. The tadpoles then drop down into the water below.

Personally I have huge respect for someone who commits to a suit that is all one colour, and centrolenid frogs (glass frogs) commit pretty hard to that style, though with occasional polka-dots for good measure. But don't let their high fashion fool you. They are very well armed—at least for battles with each other. Many glass frogs possess fearsome humeral spines; sharp extensions of the upper arm.

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Condor Glass Frog Centrolene condor

A frog found in found in Cordillera del Condor, Ecuador. The holotype of Centrolene condor was found during the night in vegetation that was hanging very close over water. Males carry out their advertisement calls from the upper side of leaves and they are believed to breed in streams

Emerald glass frog (Centrolene prosoblepon) sitting in flower folds of ginger (Zingiber), Costa Rica

Simplifying the Centrolene buckleyi complex (Amphibia: Anura: Centrolenidae): a taxonomic review and description of two new species

Franco-Mena, De la Riva, et al

Abstract

Centrolenidae is a Neotropical family widely distributed in Central and South America, with its species richness concentrated in the tropical Andes. Several taxonomic problems have been identified within this family, mostly related to species with broad geographic distributions. In this study, we assessed and redefined the species boundaries of the Centrolene buckleyi species complex, and formally described two new species from the Andes of Ecuador. These new taxa are recognized by a combination of morphometric, osteological, acoustic, and genetic data. Following IUCN criteria, we propose that the two new species should to be considered as Endangered (EN), mainly because of their small distributions and habitat loss. The C. buckleyi complex provides insights into the biogeography of closely related Andean species. As in other glassfrogs, speciation in Centrolene seems to be mediated by the linearity of the Andes, where gene flow can be restricted by topography and, also, local extinctions.

Read the paper here: