DFW Invasive Species
Cuban Tree Frog
Cuban Tree Frog
LOCATION
Cuban tree frogs can be found on St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. They reside in many habitat types including urban areas, wetlands, shrubland, grasslands and mangroves. They are also known to be found in cisterns.
Scientific name
Osteopilus septentrionalis
Giant tree frog
Marbled tree toad
Giant tree frog
Marbled tree toad
NATIVE ORIGIN
The Cuban tree frog is native to Cuba, Cayman Islands and the Bahamas.
The Cuban Tree frog can be distinguished from other frogs based on its large size. They are the largest tree frog in North America, and range from 2-5.5 inches long (Seaworld parks, 2020). Typically, Cuban Tree Frogs are gray, brown or green with rough, warty looking skin.
It is believed that the Cuban tree frog made its way to Florida either through shipments of potted plants, other vegetation, and/or as hitchhikers on boats, from Cuba.
From Florida, they are believed to have arrived in the USVI via plant and/or construction importation (Platenberg 2007) in the 1970s (MacLean 1982)
These frogs can live between 5 and 10 years long. Cuban tree frogs breed year-round, and a single female can lay over 1000 eggs in a single clutch. Females will lay their eggs in small, mostly freshwater pools where eggs will mature into tadpoles. Tadpoles take roughly 1 month until they are fully developed frogs (Lannoo 2005).
From Florida, they are believed to have arrived in the USVI via plant and/or construction importation (Platenberg 2007) in the 1970s (MacLean 1982)
These frogs can live between 5 and 10 years long. Cuban tree frogs breed year-round, and a single female can lay over 1000 eggs in a single clutch. Females will lay their eggs in small, mostly freshwater pools where eggs will mature into tadpoles. Tadpoles take roughly 1 month until they are fully developed frogs (Lannoo 2005).
Ecological Impact
PREDATORS
PREDATORS
- The Cuban tree frog can be a direct threat to an island’s biodiversity by consuming native species of frogs, lizards, insects and more.
- The Cuban tree frog is omnivorous, consuming both animals and plant material. A study in the British Virgin Islands showed that a Cuban tree frog consumed 26 different prey items (Owen 2005), highlighting that they are opportunistic feeders.
- The Cuban tree frog also has effective invader traits, such as high reproduction rate, a diverse diet, ability to outcompete other organisms and ability to survive in close proximity to humans (Collins and Crump 2009).
- It is believed that this species competes with the white-lipped frog, a native frog species in the VI, for space in ephemeral pools needed for breeding (Platenberg 2007.)
Management/Control
IDENTIFY & INFORM
IDENTIFY & INFORM
- The Cuban tree frog is popular in the pet trade; however, in an effort to mitigate its impact in the USVI, importation of a personally owned Cuban tree frog is banned.
- There is limited research on how to best mitigate the impacts of the Cuban tree frog here in the Virgin Islands. Submitting sightings is very helpful, which informs management of hotspots to focus on.
What You Can Do!
GET INVOLVED
GET INVOLVED
- You can report sightings and/or interactions by calling the Division of Fish and Wildlife offices directly at (340) 773-1082. You may also submit an anonymous “tip” to the DPNR hotline. This can be done online through the website DPNR Hotline (vi.gov) or on the go through the downloadable DPNR Hotline App!
- Download on the Google Play App Store
Download on the Apple App Store - Take care if handling as they can secrete irritating mucus (Grenard 2008).
- If you feel comfortable, you can pick up the frog (with a glove) and put it in your freezer, then dispose of it a few hours later. Make sure that your skin does not come into contact with the frog.
- Regularly checking your cisterns and then disposing of Cuban tree frogs may help reduce their spread.
References
“Cuban Tree Frog Facts and Information | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment”. seaworld.org. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
MACLEAN, W. P. 1982. Reptiles and amphibians of the Virgin Islands. Macmillan Education Ltd., London.
Collins, James P.; Crump, Martha L. (2009). Extinction in our times: global amphibian decline. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. pp. 61–62. ISBN 978-0-19-531694-0.
Grenard, Steve (2008). Frogs and Toads. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley Publishing Inc. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-0-470-16510-2.
Lannoo, Michael J. (2005). Amphibian declines: the conservation status of United States species. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. pp. 463–465. ISBN 0-520-23592-4.
