The Horned Frog, Ceratophrys ornata (Bell, 1843) inhabits the pampean area of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Horned Frog is a voracious predator and has a huge mouth. Photograph of a captive specimen.
Cranwell's Horned Frog Ceratophrys cranwelli Bario, 1980. This is a captive bred specimen for the pet trade under the name Argentine Horned Frog. The color is considerably different from wild individuals. It inhabits the Chacoan region of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay where it lives in savanna, shrub lands, and wetland habitats. It apparently spends much of its time below ground, and comes to the surface to reproduce after heavy rains.
Budgett's Frog, Lepidobatrachus laevis Budgett, 1899. Females reach 120 mm in total body length. They inhabit the northern and eastern semi-arid regions of the Chacoan in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Budgett's Frogs often uses stream edge habitats as well as swamps and lagoons that are surrounded by dry savanna or shrub habitats. Its spectacular defense behavior of raising the rear body on its hind legs; opening its mouth to expose the yellow and white, and the tooth-like processes in the lower jaw; combined with a low growling snarl make it appear formidable. Budgett's Frogs reproduce in ephemeral ponds from October to Februrary. The larvae of this frog were not described until 1931 and are unusual because they have huge heads with large gapping mouths that allow them to suck in (suction feeding) smaller tadpoles. They have been reported to feed on the larvae of their more terrestrial relatives, the horned frogs in the genus Ceratophrys as well as other small aquatic animals. The larvae can consume prey that are equal in size to themselves and prey is taken in rapidly. Adult Budgett's Frogs are one of the few frogs that retain the lateral-line system of the tadpoles.
For more on this frog see: Cei, J. M. 1980. Amphibians of Argentina. Monitore Zool. Ital. Monograph 2, pages 226-231. And, Ruibal, R. and E. Thomas. 1988. The obligate carnivorous larvae of the frog Lepidobatrachus laevis (Leptodactylidae). Copeia 1988 (3):591-604.
Lake Titicaca Water Frog, Stemmata coleus (Garman, 1875), lives in the highest (3800 m) freshwater lake and shows a variety adaptations to the low oxygen pressure found at those elevations. This highly aquatic frog is known from the vicinity of Lake Titicaca and Laguna de Arapa in Peru and Bolivia; as well as Lake Umayo and Lake Chajchora in Peru. Photograph of a captive specimen.
