Hobbies And Interests
Tree Frogs
While many rain forest frogs live in trees, those considered true tree frogs belong to the hylidae family of frogs. Members include the red-eyed tree frog of Central America, a nonvenomous species that feeds primarily on insects. The giant monkey frog, found in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon rain forest, is also nocturnal. Other true tree frogs include the hourglass frog -- the only vertebrate that lays eggs both in water and on land -- and the highly vocal Amazon milk frog, whose name refers to the white poisonous substance it oozes when threatened.
Poison Dart Frogs
More than 200 of the rain forest frog species of Latin America are poison dart frogs of the dendrobatidae family. Though tiny -- the largest measures 2 inches -- they secrete a lethal toxin through their skin. Indigenous peoples used their secretions to poison hunting darts. Poison frogs display a variety of bright colors to ward off would-be predators. Colombia's golden poison dart frog is the most toxic.
Horned Frogs
The rain forest floors of South America are home to carnivorous horned frogs, which have large mouths and are known for their aggressiveness and voracious appetite. Among these is the Amazon horned frog, which can grow up to 6 inches and weigh up to a pound. The ornate horned frog resides in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina; the Chacoan horned frog is found in Brazil and Argentina, as well as in Bolivia and Paraguay.
Toads
Several species of toads are of the bufonidae family, which consists of true toads, and can be found in the rain forests of Latin America. True toads lack teeth and breastbones. Glands behind their eyes secrete bufotoxin, a venom that can cause heart failure when ingested. An example is the smooth-sided toad, which inhabits the drainage area of the Amazon.
Glass Frogs
Central American rain forests harbor approximately 120 species of tree-dwelling frogs known as glass frogs, because most have transparent bellies through which parts of their digestive and cardiovascular systems are visible. Most glass frogs measure slightly more than 1 inch, though some can grow up to 3 inches.
Other Types
The leptodactylidae family of frogs, to which horned frogs belong, encompasses a diverse assortment of frog species. Known colloquially as new world frogs, this family includes the floor-dwelling smokey jungle frog, one of the world's biggest, which resides in the rain forests of Central America and Brazil. Robber frogs, which are unique among amphibians in that their young are miniature versions of adults rather than tadpoles, are also new world rain forest frogs. In addition, several species of narrow-mouth frogs of the family microhylidae reside in the rain forests of Central and South America.