Centrolenidae |  |
169 species in 12 genera
Commonly Called Glass Frogs
Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni
Photo by Twan Leenders
(Click for family gallery)Centrolenid frogs derive their common name from the transparent ventral skin, through which internal organs can be seen in many species. Most Centrolenids are a shade of green, ranging from light lime green to dark green. Members of this family also have green bones as a result of green bile salts. Studies have shown that glass frogs contain a unique pigment in their skin that reflects the same wavelength infrared radiation that plants do, possibly another adaptation for concealment. Most glass frogs are small (30 mm snout-vent length) with one exception, Centrolene geckoideum, which attains a length of 77 mm. Eggs are usually deposited on rocks or plants overhanging water, and are sometimes guarded by territorial males. The larvae drop into the water upon hatching and burrow in the sand or detritus at the bottom.
Species of this group occur from Central America south through Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, and southern Brazil in high montane forests with streams.
News Highlight
October 23, 2017: Parental care in frogs is a fascinating, yet understudied facet of amphibian behavioral ecology. This behavior is rare, in fact, only 10-20% of anurans. Delia et al. (2017) recently explored the functional dynamics, sex-role characteristics, and evolution of parental care in glass frogs of the family Centrolenidae. Their integrative study of 40 species combined behavioral field observations, maternal commitment assays, disturbance trials, predation experiments, and comparative phylogenetic methods to both elucidate patterns of care, and analyze the evolution of sex-roles. Parental care was observed for all 40 species, including eight for which care has never been documented. The care-giving sex was variable across the family, and phylogenetic analyses suggested that rather than no care-to-male care transitions, male care evolved two to three times from female-only care. Moreover, they suggest that extended parental care past brooding was associated with male care state transitions.January 25, 2016: Parental care in anurans usually takes the form of attendance of eggs. Male attendance of eggs laid on vegetation has evolved independently in two genera of the glass frogs, family Centrolenidae: within Centrolene and within Hyalinobatrachium. Valencia and Delia (2016) have discovered parental care in a third clade of centrolenids, Ikakogi tayrona, the geographically (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia) and phylogenetically isolated sister-taxon of all other centrolenids. Unexpectedly, the attendance in Ikakogi tayrona is by females. Care functions are similar in both males and females, but females are somewhat more risk-tolerant, probably reflecting the more direct link to fitness in females. (DW)
Written by AmphibiaWebNotable Family Characteristics
- Inhabits wet montane rainforests
- Eggs are deposited on leaves, in some species overhanging water into which hatched tadpoles fall
- Some form of parental care, from males and/or females, exhibited
- Many species are known for their territoriality, and males will fight each other; some species have humeral spines, presumably used in combat.
- Morphological characters uniting this clade are: 1) astragalus and calcaneum completely fused (convergent with Pelodytidae); 2) dilated medial process on third metacarpal; 3) T-shaped terminal phalanges (convergent with other groups); 4) 8 presacral vertebrae; 5) ribs absent; 6) pectoral girdle arciferal; 7) palatines present; 8) ventral side and sometimes gastrointestinal organs transparent; 9) green bones
- Distribution limited to Central America through South America, from Venezuela south through Bolivia, Argentina, and southern Brazil
Cartography Credit: Zoe Yoo, UC Berkeley
Range maps sources: AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley, and IUCN RedListRelevant Reference
Pough, F. H., R. M. Andrews, M. L. Crump, A. H. Savitzky, K. D. Wells, and M. C. Brandley. 2015. Herpetology. Fourth Edition. Massachusetts: Sinauer.
Vitt, L. J., and J. P. Caldwell. 2013. Herpetology. An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Fourth Edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Subfamily Centroleninae (131 species)
Genus Centrolene (36 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Centrolene acanthidiocephalum no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene altitudinalis no account photos no sound/video Centrolene antioquiense no account photos no sound/video Centrolene azulae account no photos no sound/video Centrolene ballux account photos no sound/video Centrolene buckleyi no account photos no sound/video Centrolene camposi no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene charapita account no photos no sound/video Centrolene condor account no photos no sound/video Centrolene daidalea account photos no sound/video Centrolene elisae no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene ericsmithi no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene geckoideum no account photos no sound/video Centrolene heloderma account photos no sound/video Centrolene hesperium no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene huilense account photos no sound/video Centrolene hybrida account no photos no sound/video Centrolene kutuku account photos no sound/video Centrolene lemniscatum account photos no sound/video Centrolene lynchi no account photos no sound/video Centrolene marcoreyesi no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene medemi no account photos no sound/video Centrolene muelleri no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene notosticta account no photos no sound/video Centrolene paezorum no account photos no sound/video Centrolene peristicta no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene petrophilum account no photos no sound/video Centrolene pipilatum no account photos no sound/video Centrolene quindianum account photos no sound/video Centrolene robledoi account photos no sound/video Centrolene sabini account photos no sound/video Centrolene sanchezi account photos no sound/video Centrolene savagei account photos no sound/video Centrolene solitaria account no photos no sound/video Centrolene venezuelense no account no photos no sound/video Centrolene zarza no account no photos no sound/video
Genus Chimerella (3 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Chimerella corleone no account photos no sound/video Chimerella mariaelenae account photos no sound/video Chimerella mira no account photos no sound/video
Genus Cochranella (15 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Cochranella duidaeana no account no photos no sound/video Cochranella erminea account photos no sound/video Cochranella euhystrix no account photos no sound/video Cochranella euknemos account photos no sound/video Cochranella geijskesi no account no photos no sound/video Cochranella granulosa account photos no sound/video Cochranella guayasamini no account photos no sound/video Cochranella litoralis account no photos no sound/video Cochranella mache account photos no sound/video Cochranella nola account photos no sound/video Cochranella ocellifera no account no photos no sound/video Cochranella ramirezi account no photos no sound/video Cochranella resplendens no account photos no sound/video Cochranella riveroi no account no photos no sound/video Cochranella xanthocheridia account no photos no sound/video
Genus Espadarana (5 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Espadarana andina account photos sound/video Espadarana audax no account photos no sound/video Espadarana callistomma account photos no sound/video Espadarana durrellorum no account photos no sound/video Espadarana prosoblepon account photos no sound/video
Genus Ikakogi (2 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Ikakogi ispacue account no photos no sound/video Ikakogi tayrona account photos no sound/video
Genus Nymphargus (43 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Nymphargus anomalus account photos no sound/video Nymphargus armatus no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus balionotus account photos no sound/video Nymphargus bejaranoi no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus buenaventura no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus cariticommatus no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus caucanus no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus chami account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus chancas no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus cochranae no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus colomai no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus cristinae account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus garciae account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus grandisonae no account photos sound/video Nymphargus griffithsi no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus humboldti no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus ignotus no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus lasgralarias account photos no sound/video Nymphargus laurae account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus lindae no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus luminosus account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus luteopunctatus account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus manduriacu account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus mariae account photos no sound/video Nymphargus megacheirus no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus megistus no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus mixomaculatus no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus nephelophila account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus ocellatus no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus oreonympha account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus phenax no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus pijao no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus pluvialis no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus posadae account photos no sound/video Nymphargus prasinus no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus rosada no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus ruizi no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus siren no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus spilotus no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus sucre no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus truebae no account photos no sound/video Nymphargus vicenteruedai no account no photos no sound/video Nymphargus wileyi no account photos no sound/video
Genus Rulyrana (6 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Rulyrana adiazeta account photos no sound/video Rulyrana flavopunctata no account photos no sound/video Rulyrana mcdiarmidi no account photos no sound/video Rulyrana saxiscandens no account photos no sound/video Rulyrana spiculata no account photos no sound/video Rulyrana susatamai account photos no sound/video
Genus Sachatamia (5 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Sachatamia albomaculata account photos no sound/video Sachatamia electrops no account photos no sound/video Sachatamia ilex account photos no sound/video Sachatamia orejuela account photos no sound/video Sachatamia punctulata account photos no sound/video
Genus Teratohyla (5 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Teratohyla adenocheira account no photos no sound/video Teratohyla amelie account no photos no sound/video Teratohyla midas account photos no sound/video Teratohyla pulverata account photos no sound/video Teratohyla spinosa account photos no sound/video
Genus Vitreorana (11 species) [subfamily Centroleninae]
Vitreorana antisthenesi no account photos no sound/video Vitreorana assuh no account no photos no sound/video Vitreorana baliomma account photos no sound/video Vitreorana castroviejoi no account photos no sound/video Vitreorana eurygnatha account photos no sound/video Vitreorana franciscana no account photos no sound/video Vitreorana gorzulae account no photos no sound/video Vitreorana helenae no account no photos no sound/video Vitreorana parvula account no photos no sound/video Vitreorana ritae account no photos no sound/video Vitreorana uranoscopa account photos sound/video
Subfamily Hyalinobatrachinae (38 species)Genus Celsiella (2 species) [subfamily Hyalinobatrachinae]
Celsiella revocata no account no photos no sound/video Celsiella vozmedianoi no account photos no sound/video
Genus Hyalinobatrachium (36 species) [subfamily Hyalinobatrachinae]
Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: https://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed:AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.