Dendropsophus leucophyllatus (Beireis, 1783) - Clown Treefrog, Giraffe Treefrog, Hourglass Treefrog

Clown Tree Frog, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus (Photo: ©2009 Kurt Kunze)		Family:	Hylidae (Treefrogs)
		Subfamily:	Hylinae (Treefrogs)
		Origin:	South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, & Suriname)
		Adult Snout-to-Vent Length:	Male: 33 mm (1.3 inches); Female: 44 mm (1.7 inches)
		IUCN (Red List) Status:	Least Concern (LC)
		Similar species:	Dendropsophus bifurcus, Upper Amazon Treefrog D. ebraccatus, Hourglass Treefrog D. elegans, elegant forest treefrog Afrixalus fornasini, Fornasini's Spiny Reed Frog

Meet the Frog Part 2: the Clown Treefrog, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus

Clown Tree Frog, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus - Giraffe morph (Photo: ©2007 Danté B. Fenolio)

The Clown Treefrog, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus, is a common species over most of its range. It is often found in and around human habitation. In the Amazonian city of Iquitos it has even been observed in cesspools that have floating vegetation. This little frog is quite adaptable, at home in tropical and subtropical rainforest, marshes, and flooded grassland. They are often found in prairie-like habitat which is sparse in trees, but has grasses and bromeliads. In Bolivia they have been found in urban areas and gardens.

Clown treefrogs are also found in forest clearings that have pools. Mating takes place in these pools and in oxbows that are overrun with floating vegetation. Similar to the mating habits of the Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Agalychnis callidryas, eggs of Dendropsophus leucophyllatus are laid on leaves that over hang the water. Upon hatching the tadpoles drop into the water below, where they continue their development.

There are two distinct color morphs of the Clown Treefrog: the more commonly seen "hourglass" morph and the "giraffe" morph. The "hourglass" morph is the one most seen in the pet trade and can often be confused with other small treefrogs of the Dendropsophus genus. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your viewpoint, most other frogs of this genus rarely make it into the trade. However, there is another small treefrog species that is unrelated and is often confused with D. leucophyllatus. That species is Afrixalus fornasini of the African treefrog family, Hyperoliidae. That species is quite often found in the pet trade. It is very similar in appearance to the Clown Treefrog, but is more striped, with the striping being more toward white than yellow in color. There are also small white dots within the brown parts of A. fornasini's markings. To the confusion and  bewilderment of your average frog enthusiast, A. fornasini is often sold under the name of clown treefrog.

Now to address the less seen "giraffe" morph. At one time this morph was considered to be a completely different species. It was described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1885 as Hyla favosa. In 1989 Titus, Hillis, and Duellman redescribed it as a color morph of Hyla leucophyllata, which in turn was later reclassified by Julian Faivovich as Dendropsophus leucophyllatus.

Most specimens in the pet trade are of wild caught origin. However, there are some captive breeding efforts taking place. Of course, captive bred stock is currently hard to come by.

References

1. Fenolio, Danté. Danté Keeping & Breeding Clown Treefrogs July 2007; Reptiles/Bowtie Publications.

2. Edmonds, Devin Tree Frogs 2007; TFH Publications.

Other Resources

AmphibiaWeb Record: Dendropsophus leucophyllatus
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©2009 Kurt Kunze

Written by Kurt Kunze in September 2009 - Last updated 10th October 2009.

About the Author
Kurt Kunze is a self educated herpetologist and a member of the New England Herpetological Society based in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA. He has been a herpetologist for the past ten years or so, before that he was a professional aquarist, working with everything from guppies and goldfish to sharks and octopus. He has worked for the Museum of Science in Boston in their Live Animal Center and for the Museum of Natural History of Harvard University as a gallery guide. At the MoS, he worked with various reptiles and amphibian species, including alligators, snakes, lizards, turtles, and frogs. At Harvard, he did live animal demonstrations and educated visitors in paleontology, particularly on Mesozoic reptiles. His husbandry skills were refined by working at the MoS, as well as with the late Barbara Bonner DVM at her Turtle Hospital. Kurt has also co-authored the questionnaire for Assumption College's Science Olympiad on herpetology for the past two years. Kurt makes his home in Billerica, Massachusetts, USA, along with his small "zoo", which includes various scorpions, fish, salamanders, turtles, snakes, and of course, frogs. His interests center on the Hylids, Dendrobatids, Bufonids, & Microhylids. Kurt has bred the Red-Eyed Leaf Frog, Agalychnis callidryas, and has plans to breed the Red-Banded Rubber Frog, Phrynomantis bifasciatus, the False or Southern Tomato Frog, Dyscophus guineti, and the Fire-Bellied Toad, Bombina orientalis.