Laughing Bromeliad Frog

Osteocephalus deridens
Jungfer, Ron, Seipp, and Almendáriz, 2000
Madre Selva field station, Depto Loreto, Peru. January 11, 2011.

Some Osteocephalus species utilize bromeliads as egg sites, others do not. Some species have spines and tubercles, while others do not. No common name fits all osteos, and none was indicated for this species, so I made a name up for my purposes, based on the latinate meaning of the specific epithet. Osteocephalus can be a bear to identify, and this species is sometimes similar to O. planiceps, so here are some of the characteristics that define O. deridens: Pronounced canthus rostralis, darker loreal area, white subocular spot. Dark lower iris, lighter gold upper iris, and eye has a dark transverse band through the pupil. Feet webbed to toe pads, hand webs small. Toe pads more round than oval. Dark tympanum, about 2/3 the size of the eye. No noticeable tubercles or spines on dorsum, which is often unicolored. Faint banding on legs only. Plain flank, no spots, heavily shagreened. White upper lips, no dark lip line.

My Flickr album for this species is here.

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