Mato Grosso Snouted Tree-frog

Belongs to the family Hylidae and is a medium-sized treefrog with a snout-vent length typically ranging between 35 and 45 mm, with adult females generally being larger and more robust than males. The most distinctive morphological feature of this species is its sharply pointed and projecting snout, which gives the animal its specific name. The dorsal coloration is highly variable, ranging from pale gray to light brown, covered with a network of dark, irregular spots or reticulations that provide superb camouflage against tree bark. The skin on its back is slightly granular, while the belly is coarser and whitish or pale yellow. It possesses large, prominent eyes with horizontal pupils and golden or coppery irises. The limbs are slender, terminating in conspicuous adhesive discs on the fingers and toes, which are vital adaptations for its agile climbing behavior.

Geographical distribution Occurs extensively throughout the central and subtropical regions of South America. Its geographic range is heavily centered on the vast Gran Chaco bioregion, spanning northern Argentina (including provinces such as Formosa, Chaco, Salta, and Santa Fe), western Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia (primarily in the departments of Santa Cruz and Tarija), and central-western Brazil, specifically within the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, showcasing a strong presence in the transitional zones of the Pantanal.

Habitat: Inhabits primarily seasonal dry forests, shrubby savannas, seasonally flooded grasslands, and both the humid Chaco and dry Chaco ecosystems. It is a highly adaptable amphibian that can easily colonize temporary wetlands, permanent ponds, marshes, and even human-modified environments like cattle pastures and suburban gardens. It exhibits a strong preference for emergent vegetation and low-lying shrubs surrounding bodies of water, which provide essential microhabitats to prevent dehydration.

Feeding Operates as an opportunistic, nocturnal insectivore, preying upon a wide variety of terrestrial and flying invertebrates. Its natural diet mainly consists of beetles, flies, grasshoppers, bugs, and small spiders. It utilizes a passive "sit-and-wait" foraging strategy, remaining motionless on branches or leaves until its sharp night vision detects movement, at which point it captures the prey using a swift projection of its sticky tongue.

Behavior: Displays strictly nocturnal and highly arboreal habits, spending daylight hours concealed in bark crevices, bromeliad axils, or under thick foliage to conserve body moisture. During the dry season, it undergoes a period of dormancy or aestivation to survive harsh conditions. With the onset of the wet season, males become highly active and vocal, gathering in large choruses near water bodies to emit sharp, metallic, clacking advertisement calls to attract receptive females.

Reproduction Breeding is highly seasonal and strictly synchronized with the arrival of heavy summer rains. Males vocalize from emergent or floating vegetation to attract females to quiet, lentic water bodies. Once a pair meets, they engage in axillary amplexus. The female then deposits a gelatinous clutch containing hundreds of eggs directly into the water, where they adhere to aquatic vegetation or float. The embryonic and larval development is remarkably rapid, which is a vital evolutionary adaptation for survival in ephemeral pools that are prone to drying up quickly.

Conservation status Is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This classification is justified by its extensive geographical range, stable population trends, and high tolerance to moderate habitat modification. However, localized populations face persistent threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to agribusiness expansion, pesticide pollution in agricultural watersheds, and the drainage of natural wetlands.