THE OCCURRENCE OF THE MILK FROG Trachycephalus typhonius (AMPHIBIA: HYLIDAE) IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF COSTA RICA

Abstract

Trachycephalus typhonius is a common species in several habitat types, and it has a wide distribution from Mexico to southern Brazil and northern Argentina. In Costa Rica, it inhabits the Pacific lowlands and marginally in the San Juan River basin near the border with Nicaragua. However, their records in Costa Rica are limited. Here we report the presence of this frog in the Central Valley of Costa Rica at 1145 m elevation in the Tropical Premontane Moist forest. This record is the first for this life zone in Costa Rica, which could indicate that the species has expanded to new climatic environments. However, and although the species had not been reported in this locality, it is possible that it has a historical distribution here, but its populations have been affected by changes in land use.