Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

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robbielab
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Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by robbielab »

A while ago I posted this pic of a froggy find from Costa Rica, where I have been living now for over a year. It was a recently morphed Splendid leaf frog (Cruziohyla calcarifer) I found near a pond that I visit every day, specifically looking for frogs.
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I had a few comments from fellow FHF members regarding this find, including one from Matt (kcmatt on FHF) who told me he was planning a trip to this part of the country and asked if we could possibly meet up and I could show him where I had found this little fella, as he said it was high on his herping "wish-list".
Of course, I said I'd be happy to, but explained that the chances of seeing one were unbelievably slim as this was the one and only C. calcarifer I had seen in the entire year I have been visiting the pond - not really surprising considering they are a nocturnal, canopy-dwelling species that only really come down from the trees in order to breed!

Last week I met up with Matt and his family and walked them around said pond. I told Matt I still hadn't seen any more calcarifer but that he'd arrived at a good time as there were some freshly laid eggs, possibly from a large female that one of my colleagues had spotted in the area a week or so earlier.

We walked around the pond and found several red-eyed tree frogs and some developing green-and-black poison-dart frogs... but as suspected, no calcarifer. Not wanting to give in too easily, we decided to have another look around... you know, just in case!

Not a bad decision as it turned out - here's what we found.
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:D I certainly couldn't believe it, and I'm pretty sure Matt was quite surprised too! It was a beautifully coloured female (maybe 3 inches long) sitting on a leaf. She was quite well camouflaged, with her eyes closed and legs tucked-in close to hide the bright orange flanks just a few feet from where she had laid her eggs, presumably earlier that morning. I guess after the energy spent laying the eggs she had none left to get back into the canopy and, luckily for us, decided to go to sleep, pretty much at human head-height, until dusk. I don't know how we missed seeing her the first time round!

And of all the days to find such a gorgeous and locally very rarely seen , it just happened to be on the same day that Matt, who had specifically asked me where he might find this species, was visiting! I'm putting it down to fate. ;)

Cheers, Matt, if you're reading this :beer: (whose photos of this little beaut, I'm sure, will follow shortly!)
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DracoRJC
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Re: Unbelievable luck!

Post by DracoRJC »

Hell of a find!
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justinm
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Re: Unbelievable luck!

Post by justinm »

Some animals deserve an entire post all unto themselves. This is one of those animals. Congrats, your photos are outstanding, this would be a pretty good animal to target for certain.
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: Unbelievable luck!

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

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AndyO'Connor
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Re: Unbelievable luck!

Post by AndyO'Connor »

My favorite frog! Congrats on the gorgeous find. This will certainly be a target for me when the day comes that I am in their range.
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robbielab
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by robbielab »

Another pic Matt just sent me from his camera... one happy herper!
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MattSullivan
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by MattSullivan »

spectacular frog! amazing find and great shots of it
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copperhead
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by copperhead »

Great find - the frog looks as happy as you!
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Warren
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Re: Unbelievable luck!

Post by Warren »

Hans Breuer (twoton) wrote:Tiger Feet!
+1
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kcmatt
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by kcmatt »

I've been busy since I got back and just saw this. Great shots, Robbie. Mine will be up in a day or two, just got up the Pacific side. What great luck indeed! This was one of my biggest targets. We were feeling it by that time in the trip, luck was high. Then Micrurus came on it heel of this beautiful animal! Was good to meet you, thanks for pointing me to the refuge trail.
hellihooks
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by hellihooks »

I've been promoting the idea for a 'Best Data Entry' contest, http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =6&t=12560 without much luck... :( (Yet... we can pick a 'best photo' once a week? :roll:)
If there is a comprehensive data set to go with this frog... it certainly would set a 'high bar' when it comes to database entries... :thumb: jim
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robbielab
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by robbielab »

Thanks for the comments guys. Just to update, look who's back in town! I found the same frog a few days ago in the same place... this time with one of her "boyfriends" and a new clutch of future little'uns!
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Matt, I just had a look at your "Caribbean side" post - awesome finds, mate! Looks like you and the family had a great trip! Great to meet you too. :beer:
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kcmatt
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by kcmatt »

Great pics and (additional) find, Robbie. Thanks for posting it.

Keep making those babies, calcarifers!
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by Mike Pingleton »

Fantastic! Those frogs are exquisite. Thanks for the follow-up pics too!

C. craspedopus is high on my list when I return to Peru this winter.

-Mike
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kcmatt
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Re: Unbelievable luck! (Cruziohyla calcarifer)

Post by kcmatt »

Mike, make sure you sufficiently blind any C. craspedopus you find and share many pics with us. Hope you are able to turn some up.
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