This See-Through Frog is Literally Transparent

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Camouflage takes many forms in the natural world. Some animals are born with skin or coats that blend in naturally with their environment. Some Old World lizards like the chameleon have an almost magical ability to change the color and gradient of their skin at will. Sometimes the best camouflage, however, is sticking out like a sore thumb.

At first glance, that’s exactly how the glass frog seems to obscure itself against the foliage. Its skin is translucent, exposing internal organs. It even hides their blood. This may seem like the worst camouflage strategy ever, but sticking out helps the glass frog blend in, and you’ll never guess why. Let’s learn more about the glass frog and its unique strategy to avoid detection.

Glass Frog Characteristics

There are many peculiar amphibians in the rainforest, but none expose themselves quite like the glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium munozorum). A member of the amphibian family Centrolenidae, of the order Anura, the glass frog is a small creature found in Central and South American rainforests. There, they often live in montane cloud forests and near rivers and streams during mating season.

Don’t be fooled by their small size and cute appearance as glass frogs are quite adept at catching small insects and other invertebrates. They subsist on a diet of crickets, flies, moths, spiders, and even smaller frogs. And unlike other creatures, glass frogs put their best foot forward when it comes to mating. Once the deed is done, so to speak, female glass frogs leave their new eggs with their male partners. The males clutch the eggs for days on top of a leaf until the young reach the aquatic larvae stage and hatch.

The most unique thing about glass frogs, however, is their skin. From the head down to the back, glass frog skin is relatively opaque and green. This YouTube video shows how their legs and stomachs fade from green into an almost translucent tone, giving the glass frogs their crystalline name. When scientists first studied glass frogs, they were a bit mystified as to why they would evolve to have translucent skin. Everything is exposed, including their blood. In time, however, it became apparent that glass frogs expose themselves for good reason.

Glass-Like Skin Creates Translucent Camouflage

As a tiny, green frog in the jungle, glass frogs are prime pickings for large, opportunistic predators. From gestation to maturity, glass frogs are at the mercy of others. In the tadpole stage, glass frogs are predated by “frog flies,” which lay their own eggs on top of the glass frogs’. Once hatched, the fly larvae feast upon the glass frog embryos. Once they reach maturity, large birds and amphibians hunt the glass frog.

Luckily, they’ve developed a unique camouflage to keep them from being easily hunted. That glass-like skin on their legs and abdomen seems unhelpful for blending in, but as shown in this video, actually works wonders. Scientists discovered that the glass frog’s translucent skin made less of a gradient between its body and surrounding foliage. Somehow, it softens the edges of the frog until it and its leafy green environment become one.

What’s more, the glass frog has an ability unique among amphibians: hiding its blood. When glass frogs are active, their translucent skin puts their organs on display. When they are resting (and most vulnerable), glass frogs pool a significant amount of their red blood cells into their liver, thereby increasing their transparency (there’s no sign of blood circulating in their body), and therefore, their protection. Most animals would suffer massive blood clotting if they attempted this maneuver, but the glass frog does it with ease. It’s such a unique defense mechanism that scientists believe further study of the glass frog could lead to more understanding of fatal blood clotting and how to prevent it.

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