Amphibians · Anura · Eleutherodactylidae
Common Coqui
Eleutherodactylus coqui
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
The common coquí is an anuran amphibian native to Puerto Rico belonging to the family Eleutherodactylidae. The species takes its common name from the call the males produce. That sound serves two purposes: the 'CO' repels other males and establishes a territory, while the 'QUÍ' attracts females. The common coquí is an emblematic element of Puerto Rican culture and is regarded as the island's national symbol. Its characteristic night-time call is one of the loudest biological sounds recorded in the Caribbean, reaching levels of between 90 and 100 decibels. It is one of the 81 species that make up the herpetofauna of Puerto Rico.
Size
3 cm – 5 cm
Lifespan
6 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- It is the national symbol of Puerto Rico and its call, a two-syllable co-quí repeated all night long, is probably the sound most associated with the island's identity. The male gives the co to warn off other males and the quí to attract females.
- It has no tadpole stage: the eggs, laid on damp ground or among leaves, hatch directly into fully formed froglets, and the male guards the clutch until they emerge.
- Introduced accidentally to Hawaii with ornamental plants, it has become a pest there: it reaches densities of tens of thousands per hectare and its night chorus hits noise levels that have led to property lawsuits.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
- Habitat & environment
- Moist forest, coffee plantations, gardens and urban areas of Puerto Rico
- Birth weight
- Hatches as a fully formed frog, with no free-living tadpole stage
- Size at birth
- About 5 mm on hatching, already shaped like a miniature adult frog
- Sexual maturity
- 8 months
- Gestation / incubation
- Direct development in the egg, with no tadpole stage
- Litter / clutch size
- 28 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleutherodactylus_coqui
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round in Puerto Rico, at night and above all after rain, when the males call their 'ko-kee' from the vegetation.
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Common Coqui — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Cuban Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
Cuban Treefrog
Osteopilus septentrionalis
Puerto Rican Boa
Chilabothrus inornatus
Puerto Rican Emerald
Riccordia maugaeus
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat
Artibeus jamaicensis
Puerto Rican Nightjar
Antrostomus noctitherus
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