- Locust Coqui
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Locust Coqui Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Leptodactylidae Genus: Eleutherodactylus Species: E. locustus Binomial name Eleutherodactylus locustus
Schmidt, 1920Synonyms Eleutherodactylus cramptoni (Schmidt, 1920)
Contents
General Information
The Locust Coqui or Coqui Martillito (Eleutherodactylus locustus) is a species of frog in the Leptodactylidae family. It is endemic to Puerto Rico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes. E. locustus has suffered a population decline of more than 80% due to introduced predators and amphibian chytrid disease. Scientists believe that amphibian chytrid may be exacerbated by climate change – warmer temperatures dry moist habitats, causing stress that may lead to greater susceptibility to the disease.
Description
The Locust Coqui is a small species, approximately 0.78 inches (20 millimeters) in snout to vent length. It is brown overall, minutely variegated with lighter brown or cream colors. A pair of externally concave lines is almost always visible on the back, but a variable width line along the vertebrae may or may not be present. The eyes are large and protuberant, and the angles at the side of the snout are rounded and indistinct.
Habits
Like other Eleutherodactylidae, E. locustus does not have inter-digital membranes and so is not well adapted to swimming; instead, it has pads on its toes that allow it to adhere to leaves and branches. The species utilizes internal fertilization - the fertilized eggs undergo direct development. The tadpole stage occurs entirely within the egg, rather than as a free-living larva. Thus, a tiny but fully functional froglet hatches directly from the egg. E. locustus females deposit four to six clutches of about 28 eggs each per year, mostly during the rainy season, with a development period of 26 days. Males guard the eggs to keep them moist and remain in the nest for a few days after they emerge. The voice of E. Locustus is a short whistle, followed by a series of clicks
Habitat
The Locust Coqui is restricted to the interior uplands of eastern Puerto Rico at elevations of 895 to 3,444 feet (273 to 1,050meters) above sea level. A terrestrial species, it occurs in mesic broadleaf subtropical moist lowland or subtropical moist montane forests.
Because there has been an unexplained major decline in the abundance of this species in the last two decades, even in relatively undisturbed forests (such as El Yunque) this animal is rarely seen. However, there is an easily accessible Forest location that sustains an E. Locustus population. On the fern-covered slope above the Big Tree Nature Trail’s roadside parking lot, the calls of Locust Coquis can be heard beginning in the late afternoon hour, just before sunset. [1]
External audioFrog Call 
Click here to listen to the Locust Coqui Vocals See also
- Fauna of Puerto Rico
- List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico
- List of amphibians and reptiles of Puerto Rico
Source
- Hedges, B., Joglar, R. & Thomas, R. 2004. Eleutherodactylus locustus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 22 July 2007.
References
- ^ http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoYAOUjMeXDfODy-HWHg-zDrx8kb4ADOBro-3nk56bqF-RGGGSZOCoCAPi8eX8!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjJNMDAwMDAwMDA!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsbdev3_042915&navid=150130000000000&pnavid=150000000000000&ss=110819&position=Not Yet Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=El Yunque National Forest- Nature
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