About Scarthyla vigilans (Solano, 1971)
Scarthyla vigilans is a small species of frog, with a maximum snout–vent length of 21 mm (0.8 in). Its body is elongated and slender, the head matches the body in width and is longer than it is wide, and the snout is long and tapering to a point. The eyes are moderately large and protruding, and the tympanum is distinct, though it is partially covered by a diffused supratympanic fold. Its fingers and toes are slender, each ending in a small round disc; the fingers have no webbing, while the toes are webbed. At night, this frog is lime green with indistinct stripes, and its ventral body parts are transparent. Its coloration becomes more contrasting during the day. Males have a single subgular vocal sac, and their advertisement call is very low in intensity and resembles a cricket chirp, so it is often mistaken for one. Tadpoles of this species have a short, globular body and a moderately long tail, reaching a maximum total length of 32 mm (1.3 in). Scarthyla vigilans lives in open lowland environments, including flooded grasslands, degraded areas with low vegetation, and shallow standing water. It breeds in standing water and swamps. It occurs up to around 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level, though most documented populations are found at lower elevations. It is a very common species, but it is nocturnal, small, and hard to spot. Its call is relatively quiet and easily masked by the calls of other frog species. It is an adaptable species that faces no known threats, and it occurs within several protected areas.
