AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN LCInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Least Concern — widespread and abundant; not at immediate risk of extinction.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Teratohyla spinosa
Spiny Glass Frog
(Taylor, 1949)
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
An exceptionally small, slender glass frog named for the sharp, protruding prepollical spine present at the base of the thumb in adult males. The dorsal skin is smooth, light yellowish-green to lime-green, and sprinkled with fine, distinct dark green to blackish flecks and faint white spots. The snout is rounded and truncated in profile. Its most dramatic feature is the complete transparency of the ventral parietal peritoneum, which acts as a clear window exposing the entire digestive tract, the white hepatic peritoneum, and the beating heart. The eyes are moderately large with a silver to pale gold iris, marked by fine dark lineations, and a horizontal pupil. The webbing on the hands is moderate, while the toes are heavily webbed.
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Julia Trouin
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).Centrolenidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Teratohyla
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.(Taylor, 1949)
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.
Decreasing
Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
Wet Season
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
Restricted to lowlands and premontane wet forests, densely concentrated along the vegetation margins of small, slow-moving or low-gradient pristine streams, swampy creeks, and trickles. Unlike larger centrolenids that favor rushing rapids, it prefers quieter, high-humidity riparian zones. Adults are strictly arboreal, usually found calling from the undersides of large leaves, shrubs, and elephant ears between 0.5 and 2 meters above the water. Its distribution covers the humid lowlands of Central America and northwestern South America, from northeastern Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, down into western Colombia and western Ecuador, from sea level up to 800 meters.BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
Strictly nocturnal and highly specialized to riparian margins. Males vocalize extensively during rainy nights from hidden perches under wet foliage. Their advertisement call is a faint, short, cricket-like metallic chirp or tinkle, often described as a single 'seet' sound. They are hyper-aggressive territorially; when a rival invading male calls within a few centimeters, they approach and engage in combat, using their sharp prepollical spines to jab the competitor until one lets go and drops from the leaf.Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang
Solitary, with interactions driven entirely by reproduction. Males maintain dense but strictly demarcated territories on adjacent leaves over calm water. Social contact is restricted to acoustic competition, intense physical wrestling bouts involving the use of prepollical spines, and fleeting mating pairs.Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang
Arboreal invertivore, specialized in picking macro-invertebrates and tiny dipterans from the protected under-surfaces of tropical leaves.Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang
Acts as a specialized micro-predator within the lower forest canopy. Adults feed on tiny soft-bodied flying insects, micro-moths, midges, and small foliage mites. Due to their minute size, they are heavily preyed upon by wandering spiders, small tree snakes, and larger predatory frogs. Egg masses are susceptible to predation by arboreal ants and predatory katydids, while stream tadpoles are consumed by macro-invertebrate larvae.Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang
Reproduction is tightly linked to rainy conditions. After axillary amplexus on the underside of a chosen leaf, the female deposits a thin, clear, single-layer loose cluster of 15 to 30 small, pale greenish eggs directly on the leaf's under-surface, usually hanging 0.5 to 2 meters above a slow-moving stream. The male provides no parental care after egg-laying. Incubation takes approximately 10 to 14 days. Upon completion, the larvae liquefy the surrounding egg jelly and drop directly into the calm waters below, where they quickly bury into organic mud and decaying leaves.Physical Measures
Length (cm)
1.9 - 2.5 cm
Weight (Grams)
0.8 g - 1.9 g
Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.15 - 30
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).
10 - 14
Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males3 - 6 Years
Females3 - 7 Years
Sexual DimorphismPhysical differences in size, coloration, or morphology between males and females of this species.
Males Multi-lang
Males are minute and slender, with an adult snout-vent length measuring only 1.9 to 2.1 cm. They develop a conspicuous, needle-sharp bony prepollical spine on the inner side of the thumb base. They also feature internal vocal slits and a single subgular vocal sac that expands notably during calling intervals.
Females Multi-lang
Females are slightly larger and wider, with a snout-vent length between 2.2 and 2.5 cm. They completely lack the protruding bony prepollical spine on the thumb, as well as vocal slits or sacs. When gravide, their pale, translucent green eggs are easily distinguishable filling the lower half of the abdominal cavity.
Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Bony prepollical spines in males used as physical weapons during territorial combat, allowing individuals to hook, scratch, and dislodge rival males from optimal calling positions.
Extreme abdominal transparency which acts as camouflage by eliminating high-contrast internal shadows when resting on illuminated translucent leaves.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
Loss of slow-moving riparian corridors due to micro-watershed diversion, cattle ranching, and low-altitude logging, which eliminates the calm egg-laying vegetation required.
Chemical pollution and pesticide runoff into calm streams from nearby small-scale farming, highly dangerous to the vulnerable sheet-dwelling egg masses.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
Adult males call exclusively from the underside of leaves rather than the upper surface. When a female approaches, amplexus and subsequent egg deposition occur entirely on the bottom side of the leaf, sheltering the clutch from rain and direct sun.