Centrolenidae – Glass Frog Family

Suborder: Neobatrachia
Number of Genera: 12 – Centrolene, Chimerella, Cochranella, Espadarana, Ikakogi, Nymphargus, Rulyrana , Sachatamia, Teratohyla, Vitreorana, Celsiella, and Hyalinobatrachium
Number of Species: 156

Centrolenidae gets the name Glass frog family because the abdomens of the frogs are translucent. They are found in central America down to northern Argentina with a few islands in the Caribbean.

These frogs can be confused with frogs in the family Hylidae, the Tree frog family. The difference is that the Glass frog’s eyes are forward facing, while Tree frogs have eyes that face the side. Glass frogs are small, with the biggest ones growing to only 3 inches long. They spend most of their lives in the trees. Usually, the eggs of Glass frogs are laid on leaves hanging over streams. When the tadpoles grow, the leaf drops and the tadpoles drop into a stream. Some species of Glass frogs protect the eggs on the leaves from maggots and flies.

The genus Centrolene is known as the Giant Glass Frogs but don’t expect 10 feet tall frogs, they are giant relative to the other glass frogs.

The genus Chimerella is found in found in the Andes in Ecuador and Peru.

The genus Celsiella is endemic to Venezuela. It was named after herpetologist Josefa Celsa Señaris.

The genus Cochranella is named the Cochran Frogs.

The genus Ikakogi only has one species, Ikakogi tayrona, or the Magdalena Giant Glass Frog. It is found in Colombia. It is the only species of glass frog to show maternal care.