Phyllomedusa bicolor (Boddaert, 1772)

Size Dimorphism

This species, Phyllomedusa bicolor, has different snout–vent length measurements for males and females: males measure 91–103 mm (3.6–4.1 in), while females measure 111–119 mm (4.4–4.7 in).

Dorsal and Ventral Coloration

Its dorsum is lime green, and its belly ranges in color from white to yellow-white or cream.

Body Spot Pattern

Sparse white spots with dark frames appear on the lower lips, chest, and front legs, and these spots are more dense on the flanks and hind legs.

Finger Morphology

The fingers are transparent brown and have large, green adhesive discs.

Head Features

A prominent gland extends from behind each eye over the tympanum, and the iris is dark gray.

Distribution

Phyllomedusa bicolor is distributed throughout the Amazon rainforest in Bolivia, the Guianas, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru, and has also been found in gallery forest.

Activity Pattern

This frog, commonly called the giant leaf frog, is a nocturnal and arboreal species.

Male Mating Call

Males call from trees in tropical humid forests.

Male-Male Competition Behavior

When competing for mating opportunities, males fight other males that are already attached to females by attempting to push them away with their heads. They also fend off rivals with aggressive calls and by pushing rivals away with their hind legs.

Mating Season Predation Risk

During mating season, males face higher risk of predation, because their loud vocal fights are easy for predators to locate.

Chemical Defense

To counter this threat, giant leaf frogs produce peptides in their skin that act as a chemical defense.

Reproductive Method

Giant leaf frogs reproduce via amplexus, the same method used by most frog species, where the male climbs onto the female's back to fertilize her eggs.

Nest Construction

The mating pair builds a leaf-nest above forest pools, laying eggs in a gelatinous mass positioned about 70 cm above the water.

Egg and Tadpole Development

Eggs hatch after approximately 14 days, and the tadpoles fall into the water, where they complete their development into adult frogs.

Reproductive Timing

Peak reproductive activity occurs during the rainy season.

Egg Predation Rate

Giant leaf frog eggs face very high predation, with a predation rate reaching up to 61%.

Egg Predator Species

Egg predators include rove beetles, phorid flies, mammals (specifically capuchin monkeys), and other predators such as snakes.

Egg Predation Rationale

Predators target the eggs as a source of protein.

Skin Secretion Components

The skin secretion of the giant leaf frog is called Vacina do sapo, meaning frog vaccine, and contains the opioid peptides deltorphin, deltorphin I, deltorphin II, and dermorphin.

Cultural Use of Secretion

This secretion, known as Kambo or Sapo, is increasingly used in cleansing rituals that induce intense vomiting.