San Lucas Marsupial Frog

About the San Lucas Marsupial Frog

Gastrotheca pseustes is a species of frog in the family Hemiphractidae. It is endemic to Ecuador. The adult male frog measures 38.3–54.4 mm in snout-vent length and the adult female frog 36.0–62.4 mm. Individual frogs can vary considerably in coloration. For most, the skin of the dorsum is green in color with brown or darker green marks. They can also be gray or brown with dark brown or bronze marks. They can be green with black or brown marks. They can be brown with green marks. They can be all brown or all yellow-green. The flanks can be gray or bronze in color with some blue-green color or blue-gray color. The axilla and inguinal areas can have bright blue marks. The belly is white, cream-white, gray, or other colors. It can have gray or black marks. The iris of the eye is gold or bronze in color with black reticulations.

Scientists gave this frog the Latin name puestes for "lying" or "liar" because of its resemblance to G. riobambe, for which it had long been considered conspecific. This frog is found in primary cloud forests and paramo but also secondary forest, and pastureland. Scientists have seen the frog between 2,200 and 4,708... Wikipedia →