Reptiles and Amphibians of the Amazon Trip -Reptiles
Amazon Trip -Reptiles -More than 400 species of amphibians and more than 375 species of reptiles call the Amazon home. Below are some of the most famous, important, and unique reptiles and amphibians of the Amazon rainforest.
amphibians Poison dart frog -Amazon Trip -Reptiles
These species of frogs are very colorful in the jungle and very poisonous. These little creatures have very intricate patterns that are covered in many bright colors of red, blue, yellow and everything in between, their bright colors are a key defense mechanism to ward off predators.
An orange, yellow and blue poison dart frog with black stripes and spots on a green leaf. in rainforestres Amazon Trip -Reptiles
Side Neck Turtle
Photoshop was not used to overlay the swarm of butterflies on this photo. Different species of butterflies actually drink from the tears of the side-necked turtle, a natural phenomenon in the Amazon. Many plant eaters in the Amazon do not get enough salt from their diet. They have come up with creative solutions, like drinking turtle tears, to increase their salt intake.
Two side-necked turtles with lots of orange and yellow butterflies swarming over them to drink their tears.
Side-necked turtle and butterflies. Photo by Marcelo Bonino and Jeff Cremer for Rainforest Expeditions.
Black Cayman
The largest predator in the Amazon ecosystem is the black caiman. As its name suggests, this reptile has dark scales that help it blend in with its surroundings. Most of the time, you can only see the eyes lurking above the water.
Scientists have discovered fossils of an extinct giant caiman in black caiman territory that reach more than 40 feet (12 meters). However, this crocodile only grows to about 15 feet (4.5 meters) long, almost as big as its relative, the American alligator.
A black caiman, an Amazonian reptile, lurks above the water with its large eyes.
black alligator. Photo by César Vásquez for Travel Buddies Peru.
Bicolor Tree Frog
The eyes of this frog are without a doubt its most notable feature. These giant leaf frogs are commonly found throughout the Amazon. These frogs have bright green backsides with a cream-colored belly. The frogs spend most of their time in the trees and not on the forest floor. They swing through the trees like monkeys, giving them an alternate name: Giant Monkey Frog.
The bicolor tree frog, a green frog with a white belly, clings to a branch in the Amazon.
Bicolor tree frog. Photo by Lucas Bustamante for Rainforest Expeditions.
Green Anaconda
Green anacondas are the heaviest and second longest snakes in the world. These water boas are rather clumsy on land, but more cunning in the swamps, marshes, and streams where they hunt. With their eyes and nose on top of their heads, they can hide most of their bodies underwater while foraging for food.