Greenhouse Frog  - Introduced
Eleutherodactylus planirostris
(click images to enlarge)

Appearance:  Greenhouse Frogs range in size from 5/8 – 1 ¼ in. (1.6 – 3.2 cm). Females are generally more robust than males.  Greenhouse Frogs are generally brown with distinct reddish/rusty tones and warty skin.  Greenhouse Frogs can have either a striped (2 longitudinal, light stripes) or mottled (irregular dark and light markings) pattern. They have reddish eyes, a white belly, and legs banded with brown. Young Greenhouse Frogs have a tiny tail at hatching.

Habitat: Greenhouse Frogs are primarily terrestrial.  They are primarily nocturnal and seek shelter by day under boards or debris where there is moisture.  Greenhouse Frogs can be found in gardens, nurseries, and greenhouses, hardwood hammocks, Gopher Tortoise burrows, scrub, and other diverse habitats.  In south Florida, terrestrial bromeliads are a favorite hiding place for these frogs.

Vocalization:  Greenhouse Frog calls sound like short, insect-like chirps.  The call has little carrying power and may be mistaken for crickets or other garden insects.

Reproduction/Eggs: Greenhouse Frogs breed during the summer rainy season. They lay their eggs on land. The clutch consists of 19-25 eggs and is deposited under damp vegetation or debris. Development takes place entirely in the egg. There is no free tadpole stage.  Young emerge as miniature replicas of the adults called froglets.

Abundance: Greenhouse Frogs are widespread in Florida.  This is a firmly established species that has been recorded as far north as Duval and Columbia counties and in isolated areas of the Florida panhandle.

Range: Greenhouse Frogs were introduced from either Cuba or one of the Caribbean islands. These frogs have also been found in New Orleans, LA, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, some of the Bahamas, and in the vicinity of Veracruz, Mexico.

SE ARMI Index Sites: Everglades National Park, Virgin Islands National Park.