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Impact on Environment
Although these beautiful creatures are not considered threatened, the condition of their habitat is of
great concern. Problems such as global warming,
wetland drainage, atmospheric and climatic
changes, pollution, deforestation have all taken a
severe toll on the rainforest. With less rainforest
comes fewer tree frogs. Amphibian populations
are known to suffer environmental effects sooner
than other populations. This makes them a good
indicator species. Pictures of the Red-eyed tree
frog are seen all over the world. The have become
a "poster child" for the Save the Rainforest campaign. Their bright coloration and their status as
an indicator species makes them the perfect candidate to bring attention to this cause.
The red-eyed tree frog is one of the
most fascinating and popular animals
on earth and has become the symbol
of the movement to save the world's
rainforests.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/
biome/
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm
http://www.nashvillezoo.org/redeye.htm
http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/species/redeye.html
http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/herps/fro/
fro1.html
http://www.honoluluzoo.org/Redeyed_Tree_Frog.htm
The rainforest is full of many beautiful creatures
and beautiful discoveries. There are many animals
that have not even been discovered yet in the
rainforest. Medical researchers even find ingredients here for new medications to help people. The
rainforest is an important resource that we cannot
afford to waste.
Ms. Cruz
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Lissamphibia
Order - Anura
Family - Hylidae
Genus -Agalychnis
Species - callidryas
RED-EYED TREE FROG
Effect of Red-eyed
Frog on Humans
The Red-eyed tree frog is
now well known by most
people. You see them on
shirts and on mugs. You
even see little models of
them. You could say that
the red-eyed tree frog has become the South
American rainforest's symbol. Since so many
people are seeing them in pictures, on shirts, and
on other stuff, the demand for them in real life has
grown. These days it is not unusual to walk into a
Agalychnis callidryas
7th Grade Science Teacher
Calhoun Middle School
Denton, TX
“One of the most beautiful of the frogs, this nocturnal
amphibian is native to tropical rainforests in the New
World. It is hardy in captivity if provided with a moist,
ventilated environment and a variety of insects. Moths
are particularly relished by this species. When asleep
during the day, the frog holds its limbs tightly against
its body and closes its eyes tightly flush against the
body it is easily overlooked during the day as it usually
will position itself on the back of a leaf. It will not rouse
from this position during daylight hours unless extremely disturbed. “
Habitat
These frogs live in tropical rainforests in a neotropical environment.
They prefer the lowland rainforest areas close to rivers and the adjacent hills.
Food Web of a Tropical Rainforest
Physical Characteristics
The most noticeable things about this amphibian are the bold, bright red eyes. This frog, as
an adult, is brightly colored all over. The body
is mostly neon green but it is usually splashed
with other colors like blue or yellow. The upper
legs are usually bright blue and the feet are
orange or red. The coloration of this tree frog is
definitely eye catching. The Red-eyed tree frog
can change its color with its mood from a
darker green to a reddish-brown. These tree
frogs have suction cup toe pads. In this frog,
males are smaller than the females. Males
usually reach a length of about 2 inches while
females are usually 3 inches in length.
Specific Adaptations
Temperature and Rainfall in Tropical Rainforest
The average temperature range in a tropical rainforest is 250—280 C
(770-820F). The average rain fall is 200cm or more. The soil is thin
and poor
in nutrients.
Some may wonder why a frog would have such
distinguishing eyes. Does it not make him more
noticeable to his predators? This is a good
question, but the Red-eyed tree frog has
evolved with these particular eyes for a very
good reason -- startle coloration! Since the tree
frog sleeps during the day, the redness of their
eyes is covered up and they blend in better
with their surroundings. But if something does
start to bother them and they open up those
huge, bright red eyes, it may scare their predator away!
Diet
The feet of this colorful creature are also special adaptations and important to its survival.
Tree frogs have feet like suction cups which
help them to attach to leaves, branches and
the trunks of trees. This is important for mating,
sleeping and eating. Even though Red-eyed
tree frogs spend a large portion of their time in
trees, they are frogs after all and they are good
swimmers.
These frogs are carnivores and feed primarily at night, feasting on
crickets, moths, flies, grasshoppers, and sometimes even smaller
frogs! Basically, they will eat any insect or food item that they can fit
into their mouths. In captivity, babies eat mostly fruit flies and pinhead crickets.
Tropical Rainforest Plants
Most of the foods we eat come from tropical rain forest plants. Bananas, avocadoes, pineapples, peppers, peanuts, oranges, papaya,
lemon, pepper (the spice), coconut, sugarcane, cassava and cacao - all are fruits or types of foods that come from the rain forest plants.
Coffee beans, cashews and Brazil nuts are all native to the tropics.
Chicle, used in chewing gum, comes from a tropical tree. Chocolate,
popular worldwide, is from the cacao seed, which is native to the
tropical rainforest.
RED-EYED TREE
FROG