The Giant Waxy Monkey Frog is a species of frog found in tropical South American rainforests from Brazil to Peru. It lives on land but returns to water to breed during the rainy season. Males attract females by croaking, and eggs are laid in nests above water that hatch into aquatic larvae. Larvae develop lungs and legs through metamorphosis before becoming terrestrial frogs. However, the Giant Waxy Monkey Frog is threatened by habitat loss, pollution, disease, and climate change.

1. Giant Waxy Monkey FrogPhyllomedusa bicolor http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Giant_Waxy_Monkey_Frog.jpg

2. Background of Frogs They originated during the Carboniferous Era 340 million years ago There are now 6,150 known species of Frogs

3. Morphology Males 91-103 mm Females 111-119 mm The dorsum and sides of the head are green; the flanks and hidden surfaces of the thighs are reddish brown with cream spots bordered by black. The throat, chest, and ventral surfaces of the limbs are gray. The iris is silvery gray.

4. Dorsal Eye Legs-used for crawling not hopping ventral

5. Habitat Found in Brazilian rainforest all the way to the Peruvian rainforest Lives in tropical climates Can be found at altitudes from 0-372 meters Live on land most of their life, but return to water in order to breed http://www.svbchemicals.com/rainforest2.jpg

6. Taxonomy Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Hylidae Genus: Phyllomedusa Species: Phyllomedusa bicolor

7. Method of Reproduction Breed during the rainy season Males croke in order to attract females Mate in water, not on land Proof of a sexual barrier i.e. behavioral isolation-males crocking in order to attract female http://www.amphibiainfo.com/gallery/anura/hylidae/phyllomedusa/bicolor/phyllomedusa_bicolor_ebinuma.jpg

8. Reproduction They will make nest that hangs above water When eggs hatch they will fall into the water in order to continue their development Due to high mortality rates female Giant Waxy Monkey Frogs lay up to 700 eggs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CJ8a16a_z8

9. Development-Larval Stage After hatching from egg, frog is in larval stage They are aquatic herbivores with gills Later line system resembling aquatic vertebrates

10. Development-Metamorphosis During this stage the larval develops: legs, lungs, external eardrums and digestive system which then enables it to become carnivorous Gills then disappear due to the development of lungs http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/WebImg/196/1208592157-t.jpg

11. Food Consumption The diet of the giant waxy monkey frog consists of: fruit flies, termites, springtails, beetle larvae, lesser wax worms, parasitic wasps, and very small pinhead crickets

12. Digestion Digestion begins in frog’s mouth Mouth has teeth, only on the upper jaw which are minimally used Tongue is highly specialized, by being folded back it can therefore flick its tongue out in order to catch prey Tip of tongue is sticky

13. Digestion-continued Food passes from the frog's mouth into the stomach by way of the esophagus food moves into the small intestine where most of the digestion occurs Large digestive glands, the liver and the pancreas, are attached to the digestive system by ducts Liquid wastes from the kidneys travel by way of the ureters to the urinary bladder. Solid wastes from the large intestine pass into the cloaca

14. Frog Interior Diagram http://universe-review.ca/I10-82-frog.jpg

15. Nervous System Highly developed nervous system Consists of a brain, spinal cord, and nerves Medulla regulates automatic functions such as digestion and respiration. Body posture and muscular coordination are controlled by the cerebellum. The cerebrum is very small in the frog. Only 10 cranial nerves originate in the frog's brain Humans have 12 cranial nerves

16. Here one can see where the nerves originate from the brain and travel throughout the entire body http://froggy.lbl.gov/images/whole.frog/label4.jpg

17. Threats to them today Due to: Spread of fungal pathogen Pollution Habitat loss Climate change This species is at risk of extinction. http://www.erowid.org/archive/sonoran_desert_toad/images/phyllomedusa.jpg

18. Works Cited http://www.sciencedirect.com/science_ http://www.rainforestconservation.org/data_sheets/frogs/p_bicolor.html http://derekb15.tripod.com/id11.html http://www.lookd.com/frogs/anatomy.html