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The Cuban tree frog (''Osteopilus septentrionalis'') is a large species of
tree frog
A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely rela ...
that is native to
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, the
Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
, and the
Cayman Islands; but has become invasive in several other places around the Americas. Its wide diet and ability to thrive in urban areas has made it a highly
invasive species with established colonies in places such as
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, the
Hawaiian island
The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Ku ...
of
Oahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
, and the
Caribbean Islands.
These tree frogs can vary in size from 2 to 5.5 inches (5 to 12.7 cm) in length. Due to their large size, Cuban tree frogs can eat a wide variety of things, particularly native tree frogs, and their removal has shown to result in an increase in the amount of native tree frogs in an area. The tadpoles of Cuban tree frogs also heavily compete with native frog tadpoles, which can cause negative effects in body mass, size at metamorphosis, and growth rates for the native tadpoles.
Description
Cuban tree frogs are the largest tree frogs in North America, ranging from 2 to 5.5 inches or (5 to 12.7 cm) in length.
Cuban tree frogs are mostly gray, brown, or green, with young frogs having more green coloration than adults. These frogs have rough, warty skin with blotchy or mottled patterning.
Cuban tree frogs have the ability to change their color and pattern to camouflage themselves.
The inner thighs of these frogs are bright yellow, which helps to confuse a predator when the frog jumps and reveals the color. The toes have sticky pads that are useful in their arboreal life.
The skin on their heads is fused to the skull; if the head of an adult frog is rubbed (between the eyes), the skin does not move. This special adaptation prevents water loss, since fewer blood vessels occur in the "co-ossified" (fused) area. Cuban tree frogs are able to secretes a toxic mucus from their skin which can cause a fiery sensation if it makes contact with a person's eyes.
Behavior
Cuban tree frogs are mainly nocturnal and sleep during the day, preferring to hunt and breed when the sun goes down.
Being very voracious, this tree frog will eat almost anything large enough to fit in its mouth, including smaller frogs. Their foraging will occasionally take them up
utility pole
A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights. I ...
s, where they can cause short-circuits of utility switches, causing costly power outages. Cuban tree frogs will sometimes sleep on palm trees or in potted plants, which can aid in their spread.
Life cycle
As with most frogs, female Cuban tree frogs are larger than males. During the breeding season, the male will have a black nuptial pad on his hand or wrist that helps him hold onto the female during
amplexus
Amplexus (Latin "embrace") is a type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species (chiefly amphibians and horseshoe crabs) in which a male grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process, and at the same ...
.
Cuban tree frogs breed year round depending on the conditions, preferring to breed during the wetter months. Optimal conditions are considered to be with high humidity (97.8%) and rain.
[ A female can lay several hundred eggs to over a thousand in a single clutch. Eggs can hatch in under 30 hours and tadpoles can fully develop in one month.][ They have wide ]caudal fin
Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...
s and two rows of labial teeth on the top of their mouths and four rows on the bottom. Tadpoles survive on algae and will occasionally eat other tadpoles,[ and on rare occasions, recently metamorphosed juveniles.] After metamorphosis, froglets are between long.[
]
Distribution
The Cuban tree frog is native to Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
, and the Cayman Islands. This large frog has been introduced in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, the US Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...
, and the British Virgin Islands
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = Territorial song
, song = " Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands"
, image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg
, map_caption =
, mapsize = 290px
, image_map2 = Bri ...
. Whether the species was native to the Key West region of Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
is debated, or if it was introduced to the area. First discovered in the 1930s, these frogs arrived via cargo ships in the 1800s.[ They can survive in ]brackish water
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...
, which may have helped the species to spread to various islands.[ The Cuban tree frogs' progressive colonization into the mainland of Florida is believed to be abetted by use of ]State Road A1A
State Road A1A (SR A1A) is a major north–south Florida State Road that runs along the Atlantic Ocean, from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Fernandina Beach, just south of Georgia on Amelia Island. It is the main road through m ...
construction during the 1940s. The species is now established in southern Florida and parts of the panhandle region, and can be found as far north as South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
.[
The Cuban tree frog is known to hitchhike on shipments of potted plants,] vegetation, packaging,[ boats, and other motorized vehicles.][ Once in a new location, the frogs become an invasive species. In ]Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, they have become a predator of the common coquí (''Eleutherodactylus coqui''). They have several good colonizing traits, such as high fecundity
Fecundity is defined in two ways; in human demography, it is the potential for reproduction of a recorded population as opposed to a sole organism, while in population biology, it is considered similar to fertility, the natural capability to pr ...
, short generation time, a diverse diet, good competitive ability, and the ability to coexist with humans.[ In addition, they also secrete a toxic mucus from their skin which helps to limit the number of natural predators.][
Cuban tree frogs are known to inhabit a variety of habitats, including ]estuaries
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environmen ...
, low-density suburban development, small towns, agricultural areas, particularly ones with exotic plants, and lowland forests and swamps. Within their habitats, they can be found in damp, shady areas, particularly around shrubs and trees,[ by ]cisterns
A cistern (Middle English ', from Latin ', from ', "box", from Greek ', "basket") is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by ...
, rain barrels,[ and buildings. They like to be near medium and large sized trees and prefer conditions where the temperature lies above 10 degrees celsius.]
Conservation
This large frog directly impacts native ecosystems by eating native frogs, lizards, and snakes, and poses a threat to the biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
of the areas into which it spreads by causing native tree frog populations to decline. These effects are most noticeable in urban and suburban areas, where native tree frogs, such as the American green tree frog
The American green tree frog (''Dryophytes cinereus'' or ''Hyla cinerea'') is a common arboreal species of New World tree frog belonging to the family Hylidae. This nocturnal insectivore is moderately sized and has a bright green to reddish-brow ...
(''Hyla cinerea'') and the squirrel treefrog (''Hyla squirella'') are rapidly disappearing.
It has spread throughout peninsular Florida, and is also commonly found in isolated populations as far north as southern Georgia. It is inadvertently carried on vehicles or ornamental plants, spreading to new areas, and has been transported as far north and west as Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...
, Canada. Because of its effects on the biodiversity, some experts have recommended killing the animal when it is found in a new habitat. This can be done, most humanely, through the application of Orajel to the abdominal skin, waiting fifteen minutes for the frog to be fully anaesthetized, and then placing it in a freezer for a few hours.[
]
In captivity
Cuban tree frogs are commonly available in the pet
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...
trade within the United States. They are inexpensive, and when cared for properly tend to live five to ten years. They feed readily on any animal they can fit in their mouths, which can result in cannibalistic behavior if frogs housed together have a significant size difference. Their toxic mucus can burn the eyes and trigger an allergic (or asthmatic) reaction; as a result, this species is not an ideal pet species, especially for children.
The Cuban tree frog's colonization of Oahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
is believed to be a result of accidental or deliberate release of pets. Therefore, the species is now banned from sale in Hawaii. Conviction of importation of a Cuban tree frog carries a maximum fine of $25,000 and a year in jail.
References
Further reading
* Behler JL, King FW. 1979. ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. . (''Osteopilus septentrionalis'', pp. 410–411 + Plates 155, 178).
* Conant R. 1975. ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition''. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. (hardcover), (paperback). (''Hyla septentrionalis'', pp. 325–326 + Plate 47 + Map 282).
* Duméril A-M-C, Bibron G. 1841. ''Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle des Reptiles, Tome huitième'' olume 8 Paris: Roret. 792 pp. (''Hyla septentrionalis'', new species, p. 538). (in French).
*, . 1974. Systematics and evolution of the Greater Antillean hylid frogs. ''Occ. Pap. Mus. Nat. Hist. Univ. Kansas'' (24): 1-60. (''Osteopilus septentrionalis'', new combination, pp. 39–41).
* Wright AA, Wright AH. 1933. ''Handbook of Frogs and Toads: The Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Co. xi + 231 pp. (''Hyla septentrionalis'', pp. 126–127).
* Cadigan M “Invasive Cuban Tree Frog Spotted in SW Florida.” WPTV. WPTV, February 2, 2018. https://www.wptv.com/news/state/invasive-cuban-treefrog-spotted-in-fort-myers).
External links
The Cuban Treefrog in Florida.
University of Florida IFAS.
Cuban Treefrog - ''Osteopilus septentrionalis''.
Florida Wildlife Extension. University of Florida.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuban Tree Frog
Osteopilus
Fauna of the Bahamas
Fauna of the Cayman Islands
Amphibians of Cuba
Amphibians described in 1841
Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril
Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron