Common Name: Caatinga Horned Frog, Joazeiro Horned Frog
Scientific Name: Ceratophrys joazeirensis
Family: Ceratophryidae – Horned Frog family
Location: Brazil
Female Size: 3.9 inches (96.6 mm)
Male Size: 3.0 inches (78.1 mm)
The Caatinga Horned Frog is the only member of the Horned Frogs found in the Caatinga Biome, an area characterized by xeric shrublands and thorn forests. Hence the name. They are a sit and wait predator. One of their primary food sources is other frogs.
The frogs breed during the rainy season (February to June). After a heavy rain storm, the male frogs rush to temporary pool to start calling from the edges to attract female frogs. Once the female frog selects a mate, the male frog grabs her from behind in amplexus. Then, she lays her eggs and the male frog fertilizes them. The female frog lays on average 2555 eggs. Neither parent provides any care for their offspring.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Caatinga Horned Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. The frog has a good sized range and are common throughout. Only current threat to them is the expansion of farms into their range.