The Lemur Leaf Frog (Agalychnis lemur) is a delicate looking leaf frog with a big head and eyes. It is a rather strange looking frog and always looks a bit emaciated to me? Their long "spidery" legs contribute to them being very good climbers.
Most of the individuals we saw were lime green with red speckles or blotches around the body, which I think contributes to its "unhealthy" look. But this is their normal coloration.
Even though this particular frog appeared healthy, this species is not. This species is regarded as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. It originally ranged from in the Caribbean foothills from northern Costa Rica through Panama. However, most of its populations were extirpated during the last 30 years, presumably by the spread of the chytrid fungus that has ravaged frog populations worldwide. It survives in a few disjunct populations through its former range. We were lucky to see and hear a large number of this species at the Costa Rica Amphibian Center near Siquirres, Costa Rica (the top yellow "blotch" in the red zone of extinction in Costa Rica on this map). Although this map suggests the species is still extant over much of its range in Panama, it has also disappeared from much of that range as well.
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| map from IUCN Red List Database |
I'm always surprised when I listen to neotropical frog calls by how many species have short one syllable "tik" or "pik" or "tink" calls. They can sound very similar to my ear although they often differ in pitch and the frequency with which they are repeated.
The call of this species is one of those subtle, single syllable calls. To my ear it is more of a "pip" than a "tink".
In this recording, you will hear the chattering "creek-crk-crk" calls of the Hourglass Treefrog (Dendropsophus ebraccatus) and then at around 3, 6, and 11 seconds you will hear a loud "pip". That pip is our Lemur Leaf Frog. In the background you can also hear the more metallic "tinks" of the Tink Frog (Diasporus diastema). Even though the call of the Tink Frogs is also a single syllable, you can hear how it differs in pitch and "tone".
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©Chris Harrison 2025
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