Coquí
Encyclopedia : C : CO : COQ : Coquí
- This article is about the animal. For the NASA rocket study, see NASA Coqui.
Coquí is the common name for several species of small tree frogs endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico, named for the loud sound (sometimes reaching as high as 100 dB) the male makes at night. This sound serves two purposes. 'CO' serves to repel males and establish territory while the 'QUI' serves to attract females. The Coquí is a very important aspect of Puerto Rican culture and it has become an unofficial national symbol of Puerto Rico.
General Description
Fully grown male coquís measure, from snout to vent, from 30 to 37 mm with an average of 34 mm, while fully grown females measure from 36 to 52 mm with an average of 41 mm. Contrary to popular belief and artistic renditions which depicts the species with a green color coquís commonly have a gray or gray-brown coloration. Unlike many frogs, coquís do not possess swimming membranes between their fingers and toes, and thus are not adapted to swim. However, like all tree frogs they possess small pads on the tips of their toes which help them adhere to moistened or slippery surfaces.
Taxonomy
The coquí belongs to the Eleutherodactylus genus which in Greek means free toes. The Eleutherodactylus genus contains over 700 different frog species. Species of this genus can be found in the south of the United States, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
There are 16 official species of coquí's in Puerto Rico. A new species discovered in 2005 named Coquí Llanero (Plains Coquí) has yet to be officially accepted. The accepted species are:
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Reproduction
Coquís reproduce over the entire year but breeding activity peaks around the wet season. The female coquí usually lays between 16 and 40 eggs. The female lays eggs 4-6 times each year at approximately 8 week intervals. The gestation period of coquís is from 17-26 days. The maturation period , or time from egg to reproductive coquí, is around eight months.
Contrary to many frogs, which lay their eggs in water, coquís lay their eggs on palm tree leafs or other terrestrial plants. This method of reproduction allows the coquí to live in forests, mountains and other habitats without direct dependency on water. Since eggs are laid on land, coquís bypass the tadpole stage, proceding to develop limbs within their eggs, rather than going through a metamorphosis as a larvae in water. Thus, a fully independent froglet emerges from the egg, with a small tail that is lost shortly after.
Males begin their [mating call] by perching above ground level.
Habitat
Coquís are highly adaptable animals. Since they don't require bodies of water to reproduce they can be found on most altitudes provided there is sufficient moisture. In their native land of Puerto Rico they are found from sea level to a maximum of 1200 m while in Hawaii, where they were accidentally introduced through imported plants and are becoming more widespread, they have been found at a maximum of 1170 m. [issg Database: The Ecology of Eleutherodactylus coqui] Adults generally tend to be found at higher altitudes than juveniles.
See also
- List of amphibians and reptiles of Puerto Rico
- List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican Spindalis
- Flor de maga
Notes
References
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