Frogs and Toads Part 3
Herpetoculture
Pensacola
Jr College
Hylidae
= tree frogs, spring peepers, cricket frogs, leaf frogs, marsupial frogs
Family Hylidae
w Range:
N and S America, Eurasia, Australia
w Physical
characteristics:
0.5 3.5 inches long
Flattened slender body
Long legs with webbed feet
Digits: flexible with extra
cartilage, circular disks on tips
Family Hylidae
w Physical
characteristics:
Loose belly skin
External small tympanum
No parotid glands
No bicornuate
tongue
w Arboreal
w Nocturnal
w Many
can change colors
Family Hylidae
w Reproduction:
Congregate, male chorusing at
breeding season
Large numbers of eggs (from
200 in marsupial frog to 1000 in spring peepers) laid in or above water
A few days incubation
Most tadpoles free-swimming
Parental care varies
Southern Cricket Frog
Little Grass Frog
Mountain Chorus Frog
Southern Chorus Frog
Ornate Chorus Frog
Spring Peeper
Pine Barrens Treefrog
Green Treefrog
Barking Treefrog
Squirrel Treefrog
Bird-voiced Treefrog
Cuban Treefrog
Mexican Treefrog
Leaf Frogs
(Phyllomedusa)
Marsupial Frogs
Dendrobatidae
= poison-arrow
/
poison dart frogs
Family Dendrobatidae
w Range:
Central and northern South America
w Physical
characteristics:
0.5 2 inches long
Thin and with more of a
snout than other frogs
Brightly colored smooth skin
Potent skin toxins
Family Dendrobatidae
w Physical
characteristics:
Adhesive disks on fingertips
2 scutes
on upper surface of each toe
Tiny external tympanum
w Diurnal,
high activity level
w Terrestrial
or partly arboreal
w Live
in tropical rainforests
Family Dendrobatidae
w Reproduction:
Territorial (both sexes) with
aggressive displays and competition for mates
Few large yolked
eggs (usually 4 6, can be up to 40)
Eggs guarded and moistened by
male or female
2 3 weeks to hatching
Family Dendrobatidae
w Reproduction:
Tadpoles carried on back of
male or female to water source
10 weeks to metamorphosis
In some species: individually
placed in bromeliad cups, female returns and lays infertile eggs for tadpoles
Froglets
extremely small
Poison-dart frogs
Poison-dart Frogs
Breeding Captive Anurans
w Determine
breeding needs of individual species:
Habitat / substrate
Social / behavioral
Space considerations
Environmental inducement to
breed (photoperiod, temperature, humidity, rainfall)
Breeding Captive Anurans
w Maintaining
eggs:
Moisture / temp for hatching
Chemicals in water
w Raising
tadpoles:
Avoid overcrowding
Water quality
2x / day fed fish flakes,
greens
Water temps for survival,
growth, metamorphosis
Breeding Captive Anurans
w Raising
froglets:
Move to appropriate substrate
at metamorphosis
Consider feeding needs of
smaller frogs
Calcium / D3
supplementation