Horned marsupial frog

Gastrotheca cornuta

Fascinating Facts

• Females carry eggs in a pouch on her back, and the young hatch as fully developed frogs, skipping the tadpole phase entirely.
• Fertilization is external; development takes 60 to 80 days.
• They have the largest eggs of any amphibian.
• Their upper eyelid has a triangular peak, giving them the “horned” part of their name.
• Chytridiomycosis (an infectious disease) and habitat destruction give this species endangered status.

Habitat/Diet

Lowland, humid forests lacking disturbance, with occasional reports in palm oil plantations. They are nocturnal carnivores, feeding mostly on insects and other small invertebrates.

Status in the Wild

Endangered – IUCN 2008

Range

South America, specifically: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador

Location in the Zoo

Fish and Amphibians Zone of the Sculpture Learning Plaza