Phyllomedusa bicolor
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| Giant leaf frog | ||||||||||||||||
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 At the Houston Zoo
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| Phyllomedusa bicolor |
The Giant leaf frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor) is a hylid frog found throughout the Amazon Rainforest of northern Bolivia, western and northern Brazil, south-eastern Colombia, eastern Peru, southern and eastern Venezuela, and the Guianas. Locally, it also occurs in riverine forest in the Cerrado. This species is now jeopardized by biopiracy because it produces a waxy secretion that may have medicinal uses against AIDS, cancer and other diseases. The Matse and Mayoruna people apply the venom of the frog to self inflicted burns in order to enter an altered state of consciousness[1] [2][3]. The venom contains dermorphin and deltorphin which act on opioid receptors.
Some of the isolated components from the waxy secretion have even been patented in the past, but none of those patents have led to successful products yet.
The Giant Leaf Frog is nocturnal. As in several other species of frogs, the eggs are laid in a leaf-nest above a forest pool. When they hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water from where they continue the development into adult frogs.
[edit] References
- Azevedo-Ramos, C. & La Marca, E. (2004). Phyllomedusa bicolor. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on February 11, 2007. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is least concern and the criteria used
[edit] External links
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