Common Name: Red-Eyed Spadefoot Toad, Spotted Litter Frog, Thai Spadefoot Toad, Hendrickson’s Litter Frog, and Bright Yellow-eyed Crawl Frog
Scientific Name: Leptobrachium hendricksoni
Family: Megophryidae – Asian Leaf Litter Frog Family
Location: Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand
Female Size: 3.1 inches (80 mm)
Male Size: 1.8 – 2.0 inches (45 – 50 mm)
The Red-Eyed Spadefoot Toad lives amongst the leaf litter on lowland evergreen forest floors, generally near streams. Mating for the species takes place in these slow moving streams. Once the eggs hatch, the tadpoles develop in the stream until they complete their metamorphosis.
The frog has various defense mechanisms besides just mimicking leaves. When threatened, sometimes the frog pretends to be dead and rolls over on its back. Other times, it will puff up its body and standing more upright. Alternatively, it just crouches down.
The frog’s iris is a reddish-orange color, hence the name.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Red-eyed Spadefoot Toad as Least Concern for Extinction. The frog has a good sized range and are thought to be numerous throughout it. However, clear cutting of the forests that the frogs call home is a major problem for them.