Dusky Chirping Frog

Fascinating facts about the Dusky Chirping Frog

• At just 25–27 mm long, this frog fits on the tip of a pencil, yet its dark brown skin is peppered with tiny pustules that break up its outline among pine needles. Its tiny, almost invisible tympanum hides a surprisingly loud single "peep" that males repeat only after long pauses. That minimalist call lets researchers locate the species without disturbing its hidden world.
• Researchers collected the first specimens at 2,400 m and 2,500 m (about 7,800–8,200 ft) above sea level in pine forests, indicating the frog occurs in high-altitude pine forests.
• Unlike many tree-dwelling frogs, males perch on the tops of rocks or low bushes after dark, and on one occasion a frog was found tucked under a rock during daylight. This habit shows the species can switch between exposed and concealed micro-habitats depending on the time of day.
• Classified as “Special Protection” under Mexican law, the frog’s limited range, from southeastern Michoacán to Morelos, makes it vulnerable to forest clearing and urban sprawl. Its rarity underscores how quickly a tiny, 1-inch animal can slip toward extinction when its mountain home disappears.

At a glance

About the Dusky Chirping Frog

The dusky chirping frog, Eleutherodactylus maurus, is a diminutive amphibian that reaches up to 27 mm in snout-vent length. Its overall coloration is dark brown, with scattered pustules on the dorsum. The tympanum is small and inconspicuous. The forearms are slender and the hands relatively small; the tips of the two outer fingers are expanded and truncate. Male advertisement call is a single "peep" given at long intervals, emitted from the tops of rocks or low bushes at night. The species is endemic to the highlands of central Mexico, inhabiting pine forests with abundant leaf-litter and rocks at elevations of 2,400–2,500 m (7,800–8,200 ft). It is nocturnal, often perched on rock crowns or low shrubs, and may shelter under a rock during the day.

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