Males 101-128 mm, females 91-123 mm. The dorsum is brown in males and orange-brown in females. The ventral surface is cream to whitish in both sexes. Transverse darker bars occur on the sides of the body and legs. The membrane between the fingers is complete to the start of the terminal segment of the finger. The iris is orange brown.
Distribution and Habitat
Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
This species is common near streams on the edge of the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke in Brazil, and around Acará, Bolivia, Ipiranga and Tinga streams.
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The species is arboreal and nocturnal, and reproduces mainly in the dry season between July and December. Clutches of 1300-3000 eggs are deposited as a gelatinous film on the water surface in nest basins constructed by the male, or in natural depressions formed in leaf litter or roots. The nest basins often have permanent aquatic connections to streams. Males use exposed bones on their thumbs to fight in defense of egg-laying sites. The tadpoles are light brown to whitish, live on sand or litter banks in streams and are unpalatable to fish.
Osteocephalus taurinus is similar in size and color, but its iris is golden with radiating lines. Hyla lanciformis is easily distinguished by the white stripe along its mouth, and the white terminal discs on the first, second and third toes of the fore feet. Young H. boans can be distinguished from H. geographica because H. geographica has a blue membrane over the upper part of the eye, and an orange abdomen.
Written by Albertina P. Lima, William E. Magnusson, Marcelo Menin, Luciana K. Erdtmann, Domingos J. Rodrigues, Claudia Keller, Walter Hödl (bill AT inpa.gov.br), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia
First submitted 2007-11-21
Edited by Tate Tunstall (2007-11-21)
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Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on
amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. 2014. Berkeley, California:
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