Whistling Coqui

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Whistling Coquí
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Superfamily: Hyloidea
Family: Leptodactylidae
Subfamily: Eleutherodactylinae
Genus: Eleutherodactylus
Subgenus: Eleutherodactylus[1]
Species: E. cochranae
Binomial name
Eleutherodactylus cochranae
Grant, 1932
Synonyms

Eleutherodactylus ramosi

The Whistling Coquí (Eleutherodactylus cochranae) is a species of frog native to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands belonging to the Eleutherodactylus genus in the Leptodactylinae family. This nocturnal insectivore is also referred to as the Coquí Pitito in Puerto Rico. Their distinctive song is a single, rising whistle, which is repeated and followed by three clicking sounds. See references for song website.

Contents

[edit] Physical description

The Whistling Coqui measures between 0.6 and 0.7 inches, however the females tend to be bigger and usually measure 0.9 inches. Their physical coloration is gray, tan, or gray-brown. Their dorsum has a unique pattern of fine lines that resemble two reverse parenthesis {)(}. Their venter is white gray or cream yellow. Their legs are brown with small toe pads and they have dark, fine lines on the midline of their snout. Their throat and thighs are distinctive for their speckled, small brown spots. See references for picture website.

[edit] Population and distribution

The Whistling Coqui is usually found sleeping in the refuge of tree bromeliads (where it also lays its eggs) and coconut husk piles during the day. Several inhabit the southwest flank of the Luquillo Mountains and Guanica’s dry forest in Puerto Rico, as well as humid areas of Puerto Rico such as Utuado, Cayey, and the Caribbean National Forest. Overall they range from the Puerto Rican islands (except Mona and Monito) to St. John, St. Thomas, and the British Virgin Islands (except Anegada).

[edit] Reproduction

Males use their song as mating calls from about three feet from the ground in trees and are usually heard at before dusk and after dawn. Their reproduction is as most of the Leptodactylidae family, which skips the tadpole phase. Their eggs are laid in humid areas and the froglets emerge and continue their lives.

[edit] Habitat

The Whistling Coqui is found in semi dry, wooded areas such as the dry forest of Guánica and the humid areas of Utuado, Cayey, and Luquillo. They find and use trees like bromeliad plants and leaf litter to hide from predators during the day while they sleep. Depending on their area, they are found as high as 3 feet from the ground in trees.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Heinicke, M.P., W.E. Duellman & S.B. Hedges (2007). "Major Caribbean and Central American frog faunas originated by ancient oceanic dispersal". Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 104 (24): 10092 Data Supplement. doi:10.1073/pnas.0611051104. PMID 17548823. 

For picture see:

For audio of song see: