Of all the amphibians in the Amazon rainforest, frogs are the most plentiful.
There are more than 1000 species of frogs found throughout the countries in this enormous jungle region. Because the rainforest is so moist and humid, frogs there are free to live in trees. Since their skin is in need of almost constant moisture, in drier climates, frogs are limited to living in or near swamps and ponds; in the rainforest the moist air allows them to expand their range and to avoid predators that can be found near bodies of water.

This also holds true for egg-laying. Temperate frogs are forced to lay eggs in the water, leaving the eggs and hatchlings vulnerable to predators that live there, such as shrimps, water bugs, and fish. Rainforest frogs lay eggs on plants or on the ground, thus avoiding some of the drawbacks experienced by their temperate cousins.

Some of the most interesting species of Amazon frogs are described in the following paragraphs:

Poison Dart Frogs: (Dendrobates spp.) These species are found throughout the rainforests of Central and South America. They are colorful, tiny members of the Dendrobatidae family whose toxic glandular secretions are potentially fatal to predators. The substances secreted from the backs of certain species are used to poison arrow tips by various Amazonian tribes, thus causing the immediate death of the animals they are hunting.

These frogs are also subjects for scientific study, as the complex chemical compounds they secrete can yield useful medicines. A substitute for morphine has already been extracted from these compounds that is far more potent and has the added advantage of being non-addictive to humans.

Of the 175 species of poison dart frogs, 3 are toxic enough to be used to tip the darts of the blow guns of tribal hunters. These frogs feast on ants and other insects that have toxins in their bodies; their toxicity is then partially owing to the poisonous creatures that comprise their diet. Their brilliant colors allow other species to recognize them for their toxicity and stay away. Some of the poison dart frogs can contain enough poison to kill 100 adult human beings.
Monkey Frogs (Phyllomedusa spp.) are found in the Amazon regions of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Suriname and French Guiana. They have long legs and no webbing between their toes; thus they climb trees like monkeys! These frogs perform a type of self-massage, an unusual behavior that stimulates the secretion of wax on their skin, thus keeping it moist. Certain species produce hallucinogenic substances in their skin.
Suriname Toad (Pipa spp.) These South American toads have flattened bodies and live in water. Their most interesting characteristic is their unusual method of reproduction. The male’s movements against the body of the female result in the embedding of the eggs into the skin on her back. Her back comes to look like a honeycomb with a pattern of yellow eggs literally inserted into her skin. After 12 to 20 weeks of metamorphosis, the tadpoles burst through the skin on the female’s back and begin their independent life.

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