Túngara frog

Engystomops pustulosus

Size: 2.3–3.5 cm
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Sociality: Loose group
Lifespan: —

The túngara frog is a small frog of Central America and northern South America, named for the male's distinctive tung-like call. It is a classic study animal for mate choice and predation risk.

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Key facts

Túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) is a carnivore animal classified as Amphibian · Anura · Leptodactylidae.
Primary habitats are forest · grassland · freshwater · urban, with a range across Neotropical.
Activity is nocturnal, sociality is loose group, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The túngara frog is a small frog of Central America and northern South America, named for the male's distinctive tung-like call.
It ranges from southern Mexico through Central America to Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad.

Range

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

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

Details

Habitat

It ranges from southern Mexico through Central America to Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad. Forest edges, grassland, farms and villages are used, with puddles and ditches serving as rainy-season breeding sites.

Appearance

Adults are about 2.3-3.5 cm long. The brown, rounded body has warty bumps that blend with soil and leaf litter, and calling males inflate a conspicuous vocal sac.

Behavior

Nocturnal males call from shallow water. Adding extra notes can attract females, but it also makes the caller easier for predators such as bats to locate.

Feeding

Small insects, spiders, mites and other tiny invertebrates are eaten. The frog hunts on damp ground.

Reproduction

Pairs build floating foam nests at the water surface, protecting the eggs inside the froth. As rains fill pools, tadpoles leave the foam and develop in water.

Notes

This species has contributed heavily to behavioral ecology, especially studies of mate choice, acoustic communication and predator eavesdropping.