Issues

Image and text by William W. Lamar.

Clown Treefrogs (genus Dendropsophus) are found in the lowland tropics of Central- and South America. Ubiquitous in many areas, Dendropsophus tend to congregate in flooded marshy environments and their distinctive calls fill the night. All species represent minor variations on the same theme with colors that tend to be more pronounced by day. Interestingly, all species exude a distinctive herbal odor, possibly related to defense. The species depicted on the cover, Dendropsophus sarayacuensis, was photographed in the Amazon Basin in Loreto, Peru in the densely forested habitat of the understory.