Category: Amphibians
The Red-eyed tree is an arboreal inhabitant of tropical forests from Mexico through Central America to Columbia. They are a charismatic, brightly colored frog, but able to virtually disappear on green foliage by tucking their legs and closing their bright red eyes. The female lays her eggs on a leaf over a pond or puddle. The eggs normally hatch in 6-10 days, but they are sensitive to the vibrations caused by predators, storms, or floods, and can hatch early in order to improve survival rates. This is an adaptation known as phenotypic plasticity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agalychnis_callidryas
http://www.lllreptile.com/info/library/animal-care-sheets/amphibians/-/red-eyed-tree-frogs/
Caecilians: The Limbless Enigma
Caecilians are amphibians with long, limbless bodies that resemble worms or snakes more than frogs or salamanders. Their name means “blind ones,” a reference to their tiny, skin-covered (or in some cases, non-existent) eyes - which probably don’t get much use, as they spend most their lives burrowing underground. Caecilians are unusual for amphibians in that 75% of them give birth to live young, oftentimes, fully formed. There are also a few species where the mother actually grows a layer of nutritious, fatty skin that is eaten off by her own young, which is analogous to breastfeeding in mammals.
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