Learn About the Endangered
Puerto Rican COQUI

WHO AM I??

I belong to the Family of Leptodactylidae and I am an Amphibian.

The amphibians were the first vertebrates on land in late
Devonian times (350 million years ago).
Frogs, salamanders and the wormlike animals called caecilians
are the major members of the class Amphibia
that still exist today.

My scientific name is Eleutherodactylus, which in Greek means
free toes, and there are several Species of us.
To mention some:

• Common Coqui(Eleutherodactylus coqui)
• Churi Coqui(Eleutherodactylus antillencis)
• Guajon(Eleutherodactylus cooki)
• Cricket Coqui(Eleutherodactylus gryllus)
• Shrub Coqui(Eleutherodactylus cochranae)
• Whistling Coqui(Eleutherodactylus brittoni)
• Elfin Coqui(Eleutherodactylus unicolor)
• Golden Coqui(Eleutherodactylus jasperi)
• Hedrick's Coqui(Eleutherodactylus hedricki)
• Melodious Coqui(Eleutherodactylus weightmanae)
• Mona's Coqui(Eleutherodactylus monensis)
• Mountain Coqui(Eleutherodactylus portorricensis)
• Webbed Coqui(Eleutherodactylus karlschmidti)
• White Lip Frog(Leptodactylus albilabris)

Coquies are small frogs. They attain a maximum size of slightly less than 2.54 centimeters,
having an indistinct tympanum and lacking teeth.
Their color varies from olive-gold to yellow-gold.
They have no interdigital membrane, which could indicate that they are not adapted to swim.
Different from other amphibians, Coquies do not lay their eggs on water, but are carried by the mother until the birth of the young.
The Golden Coqui is the only frog species in the New World known to give birth to live young.
Although the name COQUI refers to all species of coquis, actually only two of them produce the distinctive "CO" "KEE" call that we puertoricans love to hear after sunset.

PuertoRicans consider the COQUI to be the symbol of
Puerto Rico, and consider them to be an important part of their
natural and cultural heritage.

WHY AM I ENDANGERED??

The Coqui's threatened status results from the following:

• The loss of their habitats due to development for homes
• The loss of their habitats for agricultural use
• Overcollection of the species
• The Coquis' low reproductive rate
• The Coquis' inability to disperse to other areas

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP??

• Stop the deforestation in Puerto Rico
• Try to ensure that their habitat is protected
• Contribute with the research groups that look for existing
  populations of Coquis that are threatened
  
• Participate in projects of environmental education
  
• Put pressure on the Federal and local agencies that protect
  the endangered species, to establish adequate protection
  projects for Coquis

Background Sound is a Natural KO KEE wave

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