Craugastoridae
Craugastoridae is a highly diverse group, being one of the most commonly found in
rainforest areas. There are 187 species in Peru, 27 in the Madre de Dios department and
41 in the Manu area of which we include 25 species in this guide. Most of the species are
in the Pristimantis genus, a group of very similar species. They are brown to green, have
conical toe pads, and generally have marks in belly, groin and back of the thighs which
help to identify between species. Oreobates are medium-sized and are characterized
by the lack of expanded toe pads and by their fairly big heads with protruding eyes.
Noblella, Bryophryne and Psycrophrynella species are small brown frogs difficult to
identify, therefore attention is required in the small details, such as condition of the
tympanum, toe pad shape and length of the fingers.
Craugastoridae
The family members breed through direct development, meaning there is no tadpole
phase in their development and froglets hatch directly from the eggs laid within the
leaf litter. Pristimantis species are generally semiarboreal, spending the day in the leaf
litter and foraging at night in low vegetation foraging. The rest of members of the family
are terrestrial. The group is more diverse in montane areas, and especially the genus
Noblella, Bryophryne and Psycrophrynella are almost restricted to high altitude areas:
elfin forest and puna grasslands. It is a group commonly used as indicators of type and
quality of habitat.
Pristimantis sp4