Adult: Species description based on Savage (2002). Medium-sized frog. Males to 35 mm, females to 53 mm. Dorsal: The color of the dorsal surface ranges from gray-brown to brown to orange-brown. A lighter middorsal stripe is sometimes present. The dorsal surface is quite warty, with some ridging. Ventral: The belly is pale white or yellow, while the throat is almost always grey with a white line down the center. The ventral surface is smooth. Concealed surfaces: The rear surface of the thigh has many light yellow spots on a dark brown to black background. The upper surface of the thigh usually has some dark bars. The undersides of the thighs are usually yellowish or greenish. Eye: Iris grayish or bronzish (one, the other, or both), with a brown or red stripe dividing the upper and lower halves. Extremities: Feet are moderately webbed.
Egg: Dunn (1931) reported a clutch of 44 eggs attended by a male found in leaf litter. Later studies suggested it was probably a female because of its large size (Lynch and Myers 1983).
Habitat: Lowland and lower montane forest to 1520 m. Ecology: Individuals may be found on low vegetation and debris in the forest, and near forest edges (Savage 2002). Snakes such as Liophis epinephalus consume Craugastor fitzingeri (Sexton and Heatewole 1965). Call: A series of harsh clacks (Savage 2002) that sounds rather like a cackle. Males generally call after heavy rains and around dusk, but do not call late into the night (Savage 2002). The vocal sac is internal (Savage 2002). Behavior and communication: Craugastor fitzingeri does not aggregate or coordinate with other individuals when calling (Duellman 1976). However, calling is thought to aid males in spacing themselves territorially (Savage 2002). Karyotype: 2N = 2 (DeWeese 1976) Type locality: Holotype: Cordilleren von Neu-Granada in einer Höhe von gegen 4000′ (Panama) Neotype: Panamá: Canal Zone: Barro Colorado Island, near the laboratory Diet: Craugastor fitzingeri eats a variety of invertebrate prey items (Lieberman 1986). Shifts in prey preferences occur as individuals age (Whitfield and Donnelly 2006).
Diagnostic description: Their legs have tiny webs between the fingers lll and lV extending at most slightly beyond the first subarticular tubercle of each toe. The dorsal skin is smooth or with a few warts and folds, or cords, but never tuberculate.
The tip of the fingers (especially fingers III and IV) has clearly enlarged discs or bearings without cranial crests. The head is narrow and measures 30 to 43% of standard length. The bearings of the outer fingers (III and IV) of the hands are much larger than those of the fingers and II. The outer fingers and finger outside of the leg are usually truncated and sometimes marginalized. The legs have a thin webbing extending to the level of first subarticular tubercle between fingers I, II and III, and a little beyond the first subarticular tubercle of finger ll to lV. The hands have moderately enlarged bearings (just reduced the fingers III and IV), with a length less than the width of the inner metatarsal tubercle.
The color of the posterior surface of the thigh is dark brown to black, with numerous small yellow spots on live specimens. The groin is stained or uniform. The throat varies from almost pristine to heavily stained dark brown. The underside is white, with a yellowish tinge on the back and under the thighs region; is usually immaculate, but sometimes shows faint gray spots, and rarely dense patches of dark brown.
Adult males have nuptial pads on the thumbs and vocal slits.
The maximum standard length of adult males is 35 mm. and females is 53 mm.
Habitat: It is most abundant in disturbed areas, forest edges or clear covered with weeds. Furthermore, it is also common in primary forest. During the day are located in forest litter. In the dry season are near streams.
Reproduction: Eggs laid on the ground have a direct development. It should be stressed that this species takes care of his brood.
It has been heard singing males in pastures, in a clearing in the forest edge.
Feeding: They specialize in feeding on Orthoptera.
Behavior: Exhibit diurnal and nocturnal.
The males sing more often during twilight, and sporadically in later hours from elevated positions in herbs, shrubs, low branches, etc.
Relationships: Because the songs of males are difficult to locate, the possibility of being detected by predators is greatly reduced.
Distribution in Costa Rica: In the lowlands and middle of both sides, between 0 and 1,520 m. Lift (Savage 2002).
Distribution outside Costa Rica: It is located in the humid forests of the lowlands and lower montane forests (0 to 1200 m), located from eastern Nicaragua, to the south and east. Continue through the slopes Caribbean and Pacific Costa Rica and Panama, to northwestern Colombia in the valleys and lowlands of the Choco, and south to Bahia de Buenaventura.
Bocas Species Database
Habitat: Es más abundante en zonas alteradas, bordes de bosque o en claros cubiertos con malezas. Asimismo, es también común en el bosque primario. Durante el día se localizan en la hojarasca del bosque. En la estación seca se encuentran cerca de las quebradas. Distribution: Provincia de Bocas del Toro