Budgett's frog

Lepidobatrachus laevis

Size: 7–12 cm
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Sociality: Solitary
Lifespan: —

Budgett's frog is a broad-headed predator of South American Chaco wetlands. Its huge mouth, inflated body and loud defensive calls make it one of the most distinctive aquatic frogs.

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Key facts

Budgett's frog (Lepidobatrachus laevis) is a carnivore animal classified as Amphibian · Anura · Ceratophryidae.
Primary habitats are freshwater · grassland, with a range across Neotropical.
Activity is nocturnal, sociality is solitary, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
Budgett's frog is a broad-headed predator of South American Chaco wetlands.
It occurs around Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia in seasonal wetlands, ponds and Chaco grassland.

Range

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

It occurs around Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia in seasonal wetlands, ponds and Chaco grassland. During dry periods it burrows underground and rests inside a mucus cocoon.

Appearance

Adults are about 7-12 cm long. The head is flat with an enormous mouth and upward-facing eyes, while the rounded body is patterned brown to olive.

Behavior

Nocturnal and aquatic, it waits from water or mud for prey. When threatened, it inflates, opens the mouth, vocalizes loudly and may bite.

Feeding

Insects, crustaceans, small fish and other frogs are eaten. The mouth allows it to seize prey nearly its own size.

Reproduction

Breeding follows the rainy season in temporary ponds. Eggs and tadpoles develop quickly, matching habitats that may dry fast.

Notes

The species appears in the pet trade, but its wild life is tightly tied to wet-dry seasonal cycles. Conservation of temporary wetlands is important.