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Something You Didn't Know About Kermit The Frog!

wildcoast7
Feb 14, 2016
1 min read

Discovered last April in Costa Rica, that cute little glass frog looks just like Kermit from the Muppet Show.

Hyalinobatrachium dianae (left) and Kermit the Frog

Hyalinobatrachium dianae was the first frog to be discovered since 1973 in Costa Rica. Dubbed Diane's Bare-hearted glass frog is only 2.5 centimeter. What a naughty kid hiding from scientists.

Costa Rica is famous for its frogs with about 14 glass frogs inhabiting the national territory.

We meet the glass frog in Central and South America rain forests in tree canopies near streams and creeks. It only goes down when it needs to breed. The glass frog, as epitomizes its name, has a translucent belly because of a lack of pigmentation. We can see all the organs so, she better not be shy!

Photograph by Brian Kubicki, Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center

Are they Endangered Species?

Since the 1980’s, several species disappeared from Costa Rica because of a cruel… fungus! Also, let’s not forget the forever trendy deforestation phenomenon that makes frogs lose their habitat.

All the more so, Costa Rica frogs are amazing. There are six species of Leaf frogs that can change colors but also 190 species of Dart frogs.

In these tough times for frogs, discovering a new species is a scoop for a long time and especially regarding some really rare but beautiful animals that constitute Costa Rican wildlife such as the resplendent quetzal or still, the friendly sloth.