Bromeliad tree frog facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bromeliad tree frog
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Hylidae
Genus:	Bromeliohyla
Species:	B. bromeliacia
Binomial name
Bromeliohyla bromeliacia (Schmidt, 1933)
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Synonyms
Hyla bromeliacia Schmidt, 1933

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The bromeliad tree frog (Bromeliohyla bromeliacia) is a cool type of frog that belongs to the Hylidae family, also known as the tree frogs. These frogs are quite small. Male bromeliad tree frogs are about 2.4 to 2.9 centimeters long, and females are a bit bigger, around 3.2 to 3.6 centimeters. That's about the size of your thumb!

You can find these special frogs living in parts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and southern Mexico. In Spanish, people call this frog rana arborícula de bromelia, which means "bromeliad tree frog."

Where Do They Live?

Bromeliad tree frogs like to live in wet forests that are found on mountainsides. They are usually found in areas between 350 and 1790 meters (about 1,150 to 5,870 feet) above sea level.

You can spot them in:

• The Chiapas State in Mexico, on the Atlantic side.
• The Maya Mountains in Belize and Guatemala.
• Central Guatemala.
• Northwest Honduras.

Life in the Trees

These frogs have a very interesting way of life! They spend most of their time high up in the canopy of the forest, which is the top layer of trees. They don't usually come down to the ground.

Instead of laying their eggs in ponds or streams, bromeliad tree frogs use special plants called bromeliads. Bromeliads are plants that grow on trees and have leaves that form a cup, collecting rainwater. The frogs lay their eggs in these small, water-filled cups. Sometimes, they also use other temporary spots that collect water, like the leaves of banana plants. The tadpoles, which are baby frogs, grow up and complete their development right there in these tiny pools of water.

Staying Safe

The bromeliad tree frog is currently listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means that even though they are not super common, they live in a pretty big area, so they are not in immediate danger of disappearing.

However, scientists have noticed that the number of these frogs has gone down in higher mountain areas. This might be because of a special kind of fungus that can make amphibians sick, called chytridiomycosis. This fungus is a big problem for frogs and other amphibians around the world.

Scientists are studying how this fungus might spread to bromeliad tree frogs. Since these frogs live high in the trees and don't usually go into streams or ponds, the fungus might be carried to them by insects, birds, or even raindrops. More research is needed to figure this out!

Besides the fungus, other things that could threaten these frogs include:

• Deforestation: When forests are cut down, the frogs lose their homes.
• Pollution: Dirty water or air can harm them.

Good news is that in Guatemala and Honduras, some bromeliad tree frogs live in national parks. These parks help protect the frogs and their homes from these threats.