Amphibians · Anura · Hylidae

Mission Golden-eyed Treefrog

Trachycephalus resinifictrix

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Amazon milk frog is a large, striking tree frog, with black and grey bands and eyes whose iris forms a cross. It lives in the forest canopy and breeds in tree holes filled with rainwater. Its name comes from the white, sticky secretion it releases through its skin when disturbed.

Size

6 cm – 10 cm

Lifespan

10 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

RainforestInsectivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Rainforest

12countries 27parks7same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt secretes a sticky white fluid in defence, and lives 30 m above the ground.
It releases a white, milky secretion through its skin when it feels threatened, a sticky, irritant latex that gives it its name and that deters most predators.
It breeds in tree holes filled with rainwater, tens of metres above the ground, and the male calls from inside the cavity, which amplifies his song like a sounding box.
Its tadpoles turn cannibal when the hole runs out of resources: in such a confined space, the larger ones end up eating the smaller.