Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Engystomops pustulosus

Silhouette: Luke Larter, based on photo by Amanda Lea · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Managua

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

5 Verified sightings at Managua
514 In all 9 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

The túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is a small nocturnal terrestrial frog found in Mexico, Central America, and the northeastern regions of South America. The túngara frog exhibits unique behavior in male/female interactions. Male vocalizations are critical in female mate choice, and females often prefer males who give complex mating calls at a lower frequency rather than simple calls at a higher frequency.

This long distance vocalization is the primary mating behavior of túngara frogs, and it is produced by a fibrous mass in the frog's larynx. The túngara frog may also have a mutualistic relationship with tarantulas, where tarantulas participate in predator defense while frogs protect tarantula eggs. Túngara frogs have distinct coloration which helps defend them from predators.

Engystomops pustulosus is a small species of terrestrial frog growing to a length of between 25 and 35 mm (1.0 and 1.4 in). The tympanum is not visible and the dorsum is covered in small warts. These warts resulted in other early descriptions falsely identifying túngara frogs as a species of toad in the Bufo genus. The eyes are... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Advertisement call0:30

Honduras · 2023

© Enrique Mejía · XC992837 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Costa Rica · 2023

© Chris Harrison · XC893965 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Recording0:08

El Salvador · 2025

© Adalberto González · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~50%
2 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
3 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
4 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
5 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
6 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
7 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
8 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
9 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Valencia 🇻🇪 Venezuela
~30%
2 Managua 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
~10%
3 Panama City 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
4 Caracas 🇻🇪 Venezuela
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Guayaquil Dwarf Frog in Managua?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Guayaquil Dwarf Frog sighting in Managua on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Guayaquil Dwarf Frog in Managua?

November

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Guayaquil Dwarf Frog in Managua on a given day, against under 5% in March–May, July–October and December–January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Guayaquil Dwarf Frog?

Between 7 and 10 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Guayaquil Dwarf Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.

Is Managua the best place to see a Guayaquil Dwarf Frog?

2nd of 4

Of the 4 cities where we can rate Guayaquil Dwarf Frog sightings, Managua ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Valencia (Venezuela, about 30%).

Which relatives of the Guayaquil Dwarf Frog live in Managua?

Same order: Anura

The closest relatives of the Guayaquil Dwarf Frog that you can see in Managua (order Anura, Frogs and Toads) are Mexican Smilisca (about 20%) and Yellow Toad (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Guayaquil Dwarf Frog sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Guayaquil Dwarf Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Managua (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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