Leptodactylus fragilis
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Leptodactylus fragilis, known under many common names such as the Mexican white-lipped frog, American white-lipped frog or simply white-lipped frog, is a species of leptodactylid frog. Its distribution ranges from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States south through Mexico and Central America to Colombia and Venezuela.
Mexican white-lipped frogs are grey-brown in color with brown or black mottling. They have a distinctive white stripe along their upper lip which gives them their name. They grow to 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) in length. Mexican white-lipped frog is a widespread and common species found in a range of habitats, in savanna, grassland, semi-arid lands, and open habitats in humid and dry, lowland and montane tropical forests. It is often seen near water. Scientists have observed it as high as 1,530 metres (5,020 ft) above sea level.
Mexican white-lipped frogs are nocturnal and carnivorous. During the heat of the day, they... Wikipedia →
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Mexico · 2017
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Guatemala · 2023
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Panama · 2026
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| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Verde National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 3 | Santa Rosa National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Parque Natural Metropolitano | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican White-lipped Frog sighting in Soberanía National Park on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 14th most-seen of the 34 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and August
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican White-lipped Frog in Soberanía National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September and December, the lowest months. Those are among Soberanía National Park's wettest months, with about 310 mm of rain a month against 25 mm in February.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mexican White-lipped Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Mexican White-lipped Frog sightings, Soberanía National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Palo Verde National Park (Costa Rica, about 20%).
Same genus: Leptodactylus
The closest relatives of the Mexican White-lipped Frog that you can see in Soberanía National Park (genus Leptodactylus, Neotropical Grass Frogs) are Savage's Thin-toed Frog (about 30%) and Spotted Foam-nest Frog (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mexican White-lipped Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Soberanía National Park (36 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
