''Agalychnis'' is a genus of
tree frog
A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia suborder have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not clos ...
s native to forests in
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
,
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
and northwestern
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
.
The genus consists of 14 species within the family
''Phyllomedusidae''.
Description
''Agalychnis'' are slender frogs that have many different color combinations. As tree-dwelling amphibians, they primarily inhabit forest canopies. These frogs have webbed toes and adhesive pads at the tips of their digits. Their dorsal coloration ranges from light to dark green, with some species capable of changing color, such as ''
Agalychnis lemur'', which transitions from green during the day to reddish-brown or orange-tan at night. Ventral colors vary between yellow, white, or orange. Body length spans from 30mm to 88mm. They have long, slender limbs, a flattened body, and a rounded head with a short snout. Their eyes are large and protruding, and their skin can be smooth or slightly bumpy.
Distribution and habitat
''Agalychnis'' species are found in the
Neotropical
The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone.
Definition
In biogeogra ...
region, occupying habitats across Central America and northern South America.
These frogs live in tropical forests, particularly in tree canopies, restricting their range to regions with dense vegetation. They rely on the forest cover for protection from predators and suitable locations for egg-laying. During breeding periods, they gather around ponds to deposit their eggs. While they primarily remain in the trees, they occasionally descend for reproductive purposes.
Taxonomy
Current research indicates ''Agalychnis'' is closely related to the genus ''Phyllomedusa''. Previously, it was classified under the name ''Pachymedusa''. The following species are recognised in the genus ''Agalychnis'':
External links
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References
Phyllomedusinae
Amphibian genera
Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope
{{Phyllomedusinae-stub