ANIMAL: Amazon Milk Frog/Mission Golden-Eyed Tree Frog Trachycephalus resinifictrix Type of Animal: Frog Habitat: Wet forest Location(s): N South America as well as Trinidad & Tobago Appearance: Light gray to light greenish-gray to light green to mix of blue/green/gray w/ brown/black banding, blue mouth area/feet, golden iris, large tree frog, juveniles black & white, skin becomes bumpier w/ age Food/Diet: Insects, insect larvae, spiders, worms, amphibians (including smaller individuals of own species), baby mice Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos, aquariums, herpetoculture, & wildlife centers Lifestyle: Small groups of 4-10 frogs Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young: Tadpole Group: Army/Colony Weight: Male: 0.14 oz Female: 0.17 oz Gestation: 1-2 days Life Span: 8-15 years Body Length: Male: 2.5 in Female: 4 in Main predators are other frogs (including larger members of own species), snakes, lizards, birds, & mammals. Highly arboreal, very rarely coming to the ground. Single female can lay 2,000-2,500 eggs in single clutch. Usually nocturnal but sometimes crepuscular. Males fertilize large egg clutches in floating gelatinous mass. Egg masses also sometimes deposited in water in tree cavities. Metamorphosis from tadpole to juvenile froglet lasts 3 weeks-2 months. Froglet stage lasts for 2-6 months. During breeding season, males wrestle each other. These fights cause no physical harm. Also called Blue Milk Frogs, Panda Bear Frogs (due to pattern), & Boatman Frog (due to male croak sounding like oars tapping side of canoe). Males prefer vocalizing on clearer nights, since sound carries better. Males can call up to 4,000 times in single night. After tadpoles hatch, males sometimes attract more females not to fertilize eggs but so tadpoles can have a meal. Highly promiscuous species w/ both sexes mating w/ multiple partners. Many males play no parental role at all. Fun Fact(s): Sometimes kept as pets due to appearance & relative ease of keeping. Special toe-pads on feet great for climbing & can hold up to 14 times own body weight. Trachycephalus refers to long noses used for pushing aside leaves/branches, allowing themselves to tuck into tight hiding places. Adults shed skin once a week, using legs to peel off older layer, eating old skin. Called Milk Frogs due to poisonous milky fluid excreted/secreted when stressed/threatened. Besides being defense mechanism, they can hydrate themselves w/ it.
