There are tens of millions of species that live in the Amazon. There is no definite answer as to exactly how many different species there are in the Amazon since it is so large and there is so much left to explore. Most of them are believed to be insects, each species different and unique in their very own way.
The milk frog is no different. The Amazon Milk Frog or Trachycephalus resinifictrix as scientists call it or the blue milk frog. This frog is, of course native to the Amazon Rain Forest. They enjoy slow moving water, or at least the slow vegetation around it. The milk frog is gray with brown or black bands striped around it, the younger the frog the more the colors contrast. The baby amazon milk frog is almost white with black stripes around its body. As they grow their striped skin can also develop a bumpy texture to it. The inside of their mouths tend to have a blue tint to it, at least at a younger age.
The name milk frog was given the name in reference to the milky liquid they secrete when they become stressed
The milk frog was originally discovered along the Maracana River in Brazil. This is a particularly large breed considering a full grown milk frog can be 2.5 to 4 inches long, which is quite impressive if you look at the size they start out to be, one they pass the tadpole stage they are about the size of a dime or fingertip. The average size of an adult frog is around eight centimeters. There are many different species of frogs that are much larger than the milk frog but the average of adult frogs that have been discovered is much smaller than the Amazon milk frog. Like every other frog they live off of the insects of their environment. There are not any insect the milk frog won’t eat. They are a large frog for a reason they have a very large appetite.
The name milk frog was given the name in reference to the milky liquid they secrete when they become stressed. This liquid is poisonous since it is secreted when the frog feels threatened. The milky substance is secreted from its back.
Outside of their unique color patters and extra-large size, milk frogs are also known for the calling. Male milk frogs are very loud and can call all night during mating season.
These frogs used to rarely be seen in private collections or as pets, one of the reasons was because no one could figure out how to breed them successfully. Milk frogs breed in trees, in holes inside of trees none the less. It is a unique breeding behavior specific to only this type of frog. Hence the reason no one could bring up the numbers in captivity. The female must lay eggs during the wet season, usually within the months of November to May. Typically the female will lay around 2500 eggs during the wet season. All those eggs hatch into tadpoles in one day. The better the female has eaten prior to laying eggs the healthier the tadpoles will be when they are born. Once tadpoles hatch they are self-sufficient. They will not eat other unless a tadpole is born dead. A male milk frog will call a female to his hole than fertilize her eggs. He then calls another female and has her lay her eggs he does not however fertilize these eggs. He leaves them for the young tadpoles from the first female to feed upon while they grow. Females are larger than the male milk frog. Many believe it is because they lay so many eggs at one time.
Milk frogs are most active at night
Amazon milk frogs are used to having the entire amazon as their playground, therefore the need lots of space as well as moisture. These frogs love the humidity and moisture so much they very rarely touch the ground, if ever. They would rather stay in the trees of the rain forest where it is warm and wet. Milk frogs often sleep in the vegetation above the water. However there sleeping habits are also a little backwards, milk frogs are most active at night making them a nocturnal species.
It has been said that the milk frog is great pet and thankfully it is not an endangered species. Since they come from one of the greatest plethora of animal baring lands there are sure to be thousands more of the Amazon milk frog as well its brother species that have yet to be discovered. Only time and science will tell.
