Rob Schell Photography
Powdered Glass Frog (Teratohyla pulverata)
Glass frogs are nearly always found on vegetation overhanging streams. In particular, this species is usually perched well above the reach of a macro lens, so I was understandably surprised to find this Powdered glass frog (Teratohyla pulverata) hanging out on a leaf axil just above the ground and several hundred meters from the nearest flowing water. I was more surprised when I saw it's injury.
It's not atypical for a frog to have an injury, actually many amphibians are capable of regeneration of digits, limbs, and yes; even eyes. Typically when an eye is critically damaged, it will atrophy and scar over. In the first in-situ photo on the leaf, you can see the scar on the top of the head over the right eye. In the fourth photo, you can clearly see the dilated cloudy lens indicating blindness in that eye. I hope it does eventually regenerate, as survival is hard enough in the rainforest with all an organisms faculties in-tact.
T. pulverata gets its common name from the fine white spots on the back giving them a powdered or dusty appearance. This species also shows blue bones and an entirely transparent abdomen including the visible ventral vein.
Powdered Glass Frog (Teratohyla pulverata)
Glass frogs are nearly always found on vegetation overhanging streams. In particular, this species is usually perched well above the reach of a macro lens, so I was understandably surprised to find this Powdered glass frog (Teratohyla pulverata) hanging out on a leaf axil just above the ground and several hundred meters from the nearest flowing water. I was more surprised when I saw it's injury.
It's not atypical for a frog to have an injury, actually many amphibians are capable of regeneration of digits, limbs, and yes; even eyes. Typically when an eye is critically damaged, it will atrophy and scar over. In the first in-situ photo on the leaf, you can see the scar on the top of the head over the right eye. In the fourth photo, you can clearly see the dilated cloudy lens indicating blindness in that eye. I hope it does eventually regenerate, as survival is hard enough in the rainforest with all an organisms faculties in-tact.
T. pulverata gets its common name from the fine white spots on the back giving them a powdered or dusty appearance. This species also shows blue bones and an entirely transparent abdomen including the visible ventral vein.