Pac-Man of the Jungle

What am I looking at?

This is a Pac-Man frog (Ceratophrys stolzmanni), also known as a Pacific horned frog, Pacific big-mouthed frog, Stolzmann’s horned frog, or Ecuadorian horned frog. You can see its eyes (1) and the small “horns” above them; its large mouth (2); and the distinctive green, brown, and red pattern on its skin (3).

Click on the right arrow for a close-up of this frog’s eye and a view of the frog trying to enjoy a meal.

Biology in the background

Pac-Man frogs are native to the forests of Central and South America; the species is found in Ecuador and Peru. These frogs are not very active and spend most of their time hiding in leaves or mud on the forest floor, waiting for small – or at least slightly smaller than themselves – prey to walk within leaping distance. They eat a wide variety of prey, including insects, small mammals like mice and rats, other small reptiles and amphibians, and even birds that wander too close. These frogs have a wide, sticky tongue that they use to snag their prey, as well as teeth and bony projections from their jaw that they use to grab and hold the prey while they swallow it whole.

However, these frogs have been known to have eyes bigger than their stomachs, as you can see from the final image here. Sometimes, they will try to eat an animal too large for them to swallow, causing them to choke to death.

These frogs can grow up to 18 centimeters long (about 7 inches) and weigh up to 450 grams (about a pound).

Technique

These images were created using macrophotography.