Cuban tree frog
| Cuban tree frog | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hylidae |
| Genus: | Osteopilus |
| Species: | O. septentrionalis |
| Binomial name | |
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Osteopilus septentrionalis (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1841) |
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The Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is an amphibian native to the Caribbean region of the Western Hemisphere. It is the largest tree frog of North America. Its wide diet and ability to thrive amongst humans has made it a highly invasive species with established colonies throughout peninsular Florida, the Hawaiian island of Oahu, and throughout the Caribbean Islands. They range in size from 3 to 5.5 in (76 to 140 mm) and vary in color from olive-brown and bronze to gray or grayish-white. A nocturnal, tree-dwelling frog, it is known to eat almost anything that will fit in its mouth and to mate year-round. Cuban tree frogs are commonly available as pets; however, because the animal secretes a toxic mucus from its skin that can cause a burning sensation in the eyes, it is not an ideal pet. Further distribution of the species is believed to have been expanded by the release of these pet animals.
The Cuban tree frog ranges in size from 3 to 5.5 in (76 to 140 mm) in length. It is the largest tree frog in North America. It has a rough, warty skin. Its toepads are much larger than those of other tree frogs, and it often has an orange tint to its eyes. It varies in color from olive-brown or bronze to gray or grayish-white.
Cuban tree frogs can change colors depending on their temperature and environment. Many individuals have darker splotches on the back, and some splotchy banding on the legs. In many individuals, the hidden surfaces of their legs are bright yellow. When the frog leaps to avoid a predator, these bright-yellow patches are visible, and may help to confuse the predator. Also, the skin on their heads is fused to the skull; if the head of an adult frog is rubbed (between the eyes), the skin does not move. This special adaptation prevents water loss, since fewer blood vessels occur in the "co-ossified" (fused) area. When handled, Cuban tree frogs secrete a toxic mucus from their skin. In humans, this can cause an allergic reaction or burning sensation to the eyes and nose, and even trigger asthma.
As excellent climbers, the Cuban tree frogs will typically sleep above ground during the day. During the night, they forage for insects around sources of artificial light. They will eat anything they can overpower and fits into their mouths, including snails, spiders, insects, other frogs (even other Cuban tree frogs), snakes, lizards, small crustaceans, and hatchling birds in their nests. Their foraging will occasionally take them up utility poles, where they can cause short-circuits of utility switches, causing costly power outages.
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Wikipedia