Adult: Species description based on Savage (1972) and Savage (2002). A medium to large toad (males to 72 mm, females to 94 mm). Dorsal: Dorsal coloration is usually yellow green to olive green, but some individuals appear more brown or grey. Some dark, white, or gold spots may be present. The paratoid gland is small, variable in shape, and largely indistinct from surrounding warts. The dorsum is covered in unique, large, pointy warts. Ventral: Pointy tubercles are present on parts of the underside. Concealed surfaces: The ventral surface is whitish. Distinguishing characteristics: The green coloration of this frog distinguishes it from any species it might be confused with. Eye: The eye is green and brown.
Breeding season: Breeding occurs during the dry season in shallow ponds (Savage 2002). Males call at night and during the day (Savage 2002). Egg: Eggs are black and grey and are laid in parallel strings (Savage 2002). Hatching occurs after five days (Savage 2002). Tadpole: The tadpole is small and black (Livezey 1986, Savage 2002). Unlike Bufo periglenes, the tadpoles of I. coniferus must feed to survive (Crump 1989). Metamorph juvenile: At emergence, metamorphs are only 9-10 mm (Savage 2002). Juveniles are green (Savage 2002). The warts are red-orange outlined in white (Savage 2002).
Habitat: Lowland and premontane forest to 1500 m. Ecology: This species is nocturnal (Savage 2002). Call: A long trill (Ibanez et al 1999, Savage 2002). The vocal sac is round when inflated (Savage 2002). Behavior and communication: Incilius coniferus sometimes climbs trees and shrubs (Savage 2002). Karyotype: 2N = 22 Type locality: Turbo region, New Granada (Colombia) Diet: Incilius coniferus feeds primarily on ants (Toft 1981).
Diagnostic description: The back is usually green, yellowish green olive. With an eye posterior or anterior to the armpit level just parotid gland. Parotid gland is of moderate to small size less than half the area of the upper eyelid. Have eardrum. The length of adult males is 53 to 72 mm. Females 76 to 94 mm.
Without a conspicuous tarsal tubercle. Fingers lack of complete membranes, the inner fingers are well developed. It lacks the tarsal fold. The subarticular tubercles are defined. The first finger is shorter than the second. The toes have wide webbed ll-ll-lV, supernumerary below tubers fingers and paws are rounded. The lateral tubercles are elongate, with elongated spines.
Habitat: They live in forests or open areas near forests.
Reproduction: It is an opportunistic breeder that plays throughout the year, after the rains. The chants start in the afternoon between 4 and 5 pm. and continue overnight.
They breed in puddles or shallow streams. The larvae develop in permanent and temporary ponds, the roadsides along the Rio Cerere Hitoy and in the bed of the river and creeks that are located in pastures.
Food: It feeds on ants and other small invertebrates trapped in trees and on the forest floor.
Behavior: They are nocturnal.
Relationships: It is the only true toad climbing vegetation.
Distribution in Costa Rica: In the lowlands and middle slopes of the Atlantic and central and southern Pacific slope between 2 and 1,550 m. Lift (Savage, 2002).
Distribution outside Costa Rica: They are both in the Caribbean and the Pacific slope of Panama, extending to the Pacific part of Colombia and northern Ecuador.
Bocas Species Database
Habitat: Viven en bosques o áreas abiertas cerca de los bosques. Distribution: Islas Popa, Colon y Bastimentos