Adult: Species description based on Savage (2002). A large frog with a very large heard. Males to 43 mm, females to 70 mm. Dorsal: Craugastor megacephalus had prominent crests on the back of the head and in an hourglass-ish shape on the back. The dorsal coloration is brownish green-gray, with some black markings outlining the tubercules and ridges on the back. Ventral: Ventral coloration in younger adults is orangey-red with dark brown mottling. In very large, adult specimens, the background color of the underside may be more yellow or even with some white. Concealed surfaces: The rear surfaces of the thighs are black and the undersurface of the thighs are black with light mottling. The groin is red-orange with darker mottling. Eye: The iris is black with gold flecks. Extremities: Feet without webbing.
Egg: Eggs are laid in leaf litter (Savage 2002). Metamorph juvenile: Juveniles are around 10 mm at hatching (Savage 2002). Ventral coloration in juveniles is orangey-red with dark brown mottling (Savage 2002).
Habitat: Lowland and premontane forest to 1200 m. Ecology: Craugastor megacephalus is nocturnal (Savage 2002). It is often found in small burrows, where they wait and ambush their prey (Savage 2002). Call: Craugastor megacephalus has no vocal sac and does not call (Savage 2002). Karyotype: 2N = 20 (Savage 2002) Type locality: Cerro Utyum, 6000 ft, Cantón de Talamanca, Provincia de Limón; 2134 m (Costa Rica) Diet: Adults consume a variety of arthropods (Lieberman 1986). Very large individuals may consume frogs or lizards (Savage 2002). Diet changes very little with ontogeny (Whitfield and Donnelly 2006).
Diagnostic description: Amphibious big males 30-43 mm long, 50-70 mm females; smooth or tuberculate dorsum, gray olive gray to tan brown, with apparent dorsal ribs shaped hourglass; belly dark with light spots; broad head, with a pair of cranial crests; digital discs of the narrow hands and those of the slightly expanded feet without webbing (Savage 2002).
Habitat: Húmedos tropical forests (Savage 2002).
Reproduction: This species produces encapsulated eggs, which are laid in terrestrial conditions; development is direct (no tadpoles) (Savage 2002). Eggs are apparently left in the forest litter (Lieberman 1986).
Feeding: It feeds on insects (ants, beetles and crickets) and arachnids. Large adults eat small lizards and toads (Lieberman 1986).
Behavior: Adults are nocturnal and terrestrial, are concealed in cavities of the soil during the day; juveniles are diurnal (Savage 2002).
Distribution in Costa Rica: In the lowlands and the middle Atlantic slope between 1 and 1200 m elevation (Savage 2002).
Distribution outside Costa Rica: In the Atlantic lowlands from southeastern Honduras to western Panama (Savage 2002).
Bocas Species Database
Habitat: Viven en el mantillo del bosque tropical muy húmedo. Distribution: Provincia de Bocas del Toro