Habitats: Primary rainforest
Similar species: Agalychnis hulli
Description: The Lemur Leaf Frog is a relatively small species that rarely grows larger than around 6cm. It is characterized by having large silver-coloured eyes, a bright green colouration and yellow on the underside during the day and chocolate brown colouration at night. Unlike many other leaf frogs, this species has no webbing between its toes.
Lemur leaf frog, (daytime colouration) (c) Chris Mattison
Habits and ecology: The Lemur leaf frog is one of the rarest frogs in the world, and like other leaf frogs it is strictly nocturnal. It lives in humid, lowland rainforest, and cannot survive in habitats alternated by man. Small pools of water in the rainforest are used for reproduction, and the female lays her eggs on leaves. Once the tadpoles develop, they wriggle out of the egg and into the water below.
Conservation: The Lemur leaf frog was once considered to be a common species in Costa Rica, but it is now only found at 1 or 2 sites in the country. All previously populations where this frog was known to live have disappeared. In Panama the frog is more common, but has still suffered significant declines to be classified as being Critically Endangered. No recent information is available regarding the status of this frog in Colombia. The Manchester Museum has been actively conserving this species for several years and captive-bred animals have been distributed to zoological collections worldwide.
Remembering the Lemur Leaf Frog
Non-invasive research with Lemur Leaf Frogs
Latest Lemur Leaf Frog Project Update
Lemur Leaf Frogs at Bristol Zoo
Other Photographs of Interest:
Agalychnis lemur (night coloration) (c) Matt Wilson
Agalychnis hulli, Ecuador. (c) Andrew Gray
