Wildlife photos at Heliconia B&B’s gardens. Featured species: Chirique-Flusse Treefrog (Hypsiboas pugnax)

Chirique-Flusse Treefrog (Hypsiboas pugnax)

Chirique-Flusse Treefrog (Hypsiboas pugnax) is a species of frog in the Hylidae family that lives in Panama, northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. Its natural habitats include dry and wet savannas, rivers, intermittent streams of water, freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, springs, river deltas, arable land, pastures, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, previously heavily degraded forested areas , water storage areas such as ponds and aquaculture deposits, irrigation lands and flooded agricultural areas. The specific name “pugnax" refers to their pugnacious or combative habits; males fight each other using a spine they have on the thumbs, like their related species H. gladiator.

Adults are large with males reaching 78 mm (3 in), and females 80 mm (3.1 in). The dorsum is light brown, with some darker brown markings. The sides are pale with brown vertical bars. The arms and legs are barred. The iris is pale green or blue. The feet are extensively webbed with brown webbing.

Population is stable, it is an adaptable species that is not facing any known threats.

Cicada (Cicadidae)

During our night walk through Heliconia B&B's gardens we found several arthropods too, and armadillos excavating for prey. Several pictures cannot be shared here because they are of exclusive use in a publication (Criaturas Milimétricas de Panamá). Even the cover of the book was made at Heliconia B&B.