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| 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. During dry periods they go underground and develop a thick layer of keratin that is used as a water retaining cocoon. Photographs of captive specimens. |
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Budgett's Frog, Lepidobatrachus laevis Budgett, 1899. Females reach 120 mm in total body length. They inhabit northern and eastern semi-arid regions of the Chacoan area 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 February. 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. |
| The horned frogs and water frogs have long been placed in the family Leptodactylidae. Recently the leptodactylid family has been reorganized and the Ceratophryidae established to indicate its status as a distinct lineage separate from the leptodactylids. Seven genera, in three subfamilies hold 85 species. Some of these are terrestrial in savanna or rainforest habitats, others are totally aquatic. |