AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN ENInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Endangered — faces a very high risk of extinction if threats are not urgently addressed.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Ptychohyla legleri
Legler's Stream Frog
(Taylor, 1958)
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
A medium-sized, slender tree frog specialized for streams, featuring a relatively flat profile and an elongated snout. The dorsal coloration is highly variable but generally displays shades of reddish-brown, tan, or dark olive-green, occasionally mottled with irregular darker spots. Its skin is mostly smooth dorsally but turns distinctly granular on the abdomen and thighs. A hallmark characteristic of the genus is the hypertrophied ventrolateral glands in breeding adult males, which appear as thickened, glandular patches on the chest and sides. The eyes are moderately large with a red-brown to coppery iris, and the digits possess well-developed adhesive discs and moderate webbing designed to navigate wet rocky surfaces.
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TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.
PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Chordata
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Amphibia
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Anura
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Hylidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Ptychohyla
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.(Taylor, 1958)
Record Completeness
96%Coming soon
Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.
OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.
Native
Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
Unknown
Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
Year Round
Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.
Carnivore
Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.
Yes
Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang
Endemic to the premontane and lower montane zones of the Cordillera de Talamanca, stretching from southern Costa Rica into western Panama. It occurs at elevations between 600 and 1,600 meters above sea level. Its primary habitat consists of pristine, fast-flowing mountain streams and small torrents within humid premontane evergreen forests and secondary gallery forests, where it depends closely on dense overhanging riparian vegetation.BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
Exclusively nocturnal and highly tied to moving water. Adults spend the day camouflaged in damp vegetation, under rocks, or inside root networks along stream banks. At night, they emerge to occupy low branches and giant ferns flanking fast-flowing water. Males have a low, guttural advertisement call consisting of short, raspy notes, which they repeat systematically from streamside perches to attract females amidst the loud river background.Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang
Mainly solitary with seasonal aggregations of males along chosen calling zones of the streams. While physical combat using structures has not been documented as extensively as in other stream frogs, males maintain individual acoustic spaces and actively space themselves out along the vegetation corridors to avoid call masking from neighboring rivals.Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang
Riparian invertivore, focused on small stream-associated flying insects and foliage-dwelling spiders.Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang
Acts as a specialized predator of riparian micro-arthropods. Its diet focuses primarily on small flying dipterans, micro-lepidopterans, caddisflies emerging from the streams, and spiders inhabiting the vegetation. In turn, adults are predated by nocturnal arboreal snakes, large stream-dwelling invertebrates, and small riverside mammals. Larvae play an essential role as primary consumers, grazing down the organic films and microalgae on submerged boulders.Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang
Breeding is tied entirely to clear lotic channels. Amplexus is axillary and takes place at night on vegetation overhangs or wet stones. The female lays clear, highly adhesive eggs in small clumps attached to the underside of rocks or submerged logs in areas of moderate but continuous water movement. Upon hatching, the specialized rheophilic tadpoles descend directly into the stream, utilizing their specialized oral discs to cling onto smooth vertical rocky faces within the rapids.Physical Measures
Length (cm)
3.2 - 4.6 cm
Weight (Grams)
3.5 g - 8.5 g
Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.40 - 110
Sexual DimorphismObservable physical differences between males and females of the same species (e.g., size, coloration, features).Yes
Lifespan
Sexual MaturityAge at which the individual becomes capable of reproducing for the first time.
10 - 14 Months
Gestation / IncubationDuration from fertilization to birth (mammals) or to hatching (egg-laying species).
14 - 21
Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males2 - 5 Years
Females2 - 6 Years
Sexual DimorphismPhysical differences in size, coloration, or morphology between males and females of this species.
Males Multi-lang
Adult males are slightly smaller, measuring between 3.2 and 3.9 cm in snout-vent length. They possess internal vocal sacs and develop unique, patch-like hypertrophied ventrolateral glands on their chest and soft ventral sides during the active breeding intervals, alongside fine nuptial excrescences on their thumbs.
Females Multi-lang
Adult females are larger and exhibit a stouter build, with a snout-vent length ranging from 4.0 to 4.6 cm. They do not possess internal vocal slits, nuptial pads, or any form of macro-glandular clusters on their ventrolateral areas, maintaining a uniform and smooth skin texture across their chests.
Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Enlarged adhesive digital pads and specialized muscular limbs that facilitate stable vertical perching on slippery, moisture-slicked boulders subjected to dense waterfall spray.
Rheophilic tadpole morphology equipped with an expanded, suction-like oral disc filled with multiple tooth rows, functioning as an anchor to scrape periphyton off smooth river rocks without being detached by sweeping rapids.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
Severe susceptibility to chytridiomycosis caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which triggered massive population crashes and localized disappearances across mid-to-high elevations during the late 20th century.
Habitat fragmentation and river pollution resulting from coffee processing, agricultural runoff, and mountain pasture clearing, which cloud the crystal-clear streams needed for larval development.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
The specific name 'legleri' honors the American herpetologist John M. Legler. Breeding males of this species feature unusual macro-glands on their underside that produce specialized chemical signals, a trait typical of the stream-dwelling genus Ptychohyla.