Costa Rica's newly discovered "coffee frog" faces risks from farm pesticides

A small, greenish frog that thrives in Costa Rica's coffee plantations has been identified as a new species. Measuring less than 4 centimeters, the nocturnal amphibian, nicknamed the "coffee frog," was found in the San Lorenzo de Tarrazu region. Researchers confirmed it as a distinct species of tree frog endemic to Costa Rica through genetic and morphological studies. The species was first observed in the 1960s but was misidentified until its rediscovery and confirmation in 2021.

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It's a new species of tree frog for science and endemic to Costa Rica.

Males of the species have a translucent throat that inflates when they emit a short, high-pitched call. During the night, they are most active and can be heard singing from coffee shrubs. While frogs generally seek shade, moisture, and food within crops, they feed on small insects rather than coffee berries.

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At night, when they are most active, you can hear them singing and perched on coffee shrubs.

However, scientists warn that the widespread use of pesticides on coffee plantations poses a significant risk to these tiny amphibians. The chemicals can travel through the air and seep into the soil, eventually contaminating the aquatic systems where tadpoles develop. Beyond agrochemicals, the species also faces threats from waste dumping, increased tourism, and habitat loss due to the invasion of protected areas.

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These poisons travel through the air ... they seep through the soil and that's where they enter the aquatic systems where the tadpoles develop.