LOOK OUT FOR…
THE NIGHTLY CARIBBEAN SOUNDTRACK by Lynn Kaak As you travel through the Caribbean, every month there’s something special to look out for — or, in this case, listen out for! This isn’t about soca, zouk or reggae. This is about the musicians known as tree frogs, night frogs, or coquís — he music of the night that doesn’t need a DJ or speakers, digitized sound effects, or a driving rhythm. The only “off” button is sunrise or dryness. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Lesser Antillean Whistling Frogs (Eleutherodactylus johnstonei) are about 20 millimetres or less than an inch long, but make a big noise
JANUARY 2019 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 35
There are numerous types of coquis. There also seem to be a number of different names for them. The Lesser Antillean Whistling Frog (Eleutherodactylus johnstonei) seems to be one of the more prolific ones in the Eastern Caribbean, whereas Eleutherodactylus coqui, the Caribbean Tree Frog, is the more common example of these little, but loud, amphibians in the Greater Antilles. While there are some size and sound differences, they share far more similarities. Tree frogs are pretty much everywhere in the tropics, and beyond, even into the southern part of Alaska, and there are multitudes of species, with more being discovered. Seven new species were identified within the last two months alone. They can live in the dead leaves and foliage on the forest floor, or up in the highest branches of trees. They seem to handle coexisting with humans with little trouble, whether the hacienda is on a beach or a mountaintop. As long as they have somewhere to hide, and moisture, you will find them — or at least hear them. Unlike most frogs, the female doesn’t just lay her eggs in a body of water and hop or swim away. After a male has seduced his mate with his singing skills, while deterring other males, he will stay with the egg mass and protect it from other coquis, anole lizards, salamanders, or anyone else looking for a meal. Unfortunately, he may resort to snacking on a few of his charges as well, since they could guard the nest for about two and a half to three and a half weeks; they also devour huge quantities of insects, and smaller amounts of other amphibians that they can overcome. The hatched tree frogs have an important advantage over their water-born cousins, as they go through their tadpole stage in the egg and are born with legs. The hatchlings do have a vestigial tail, but it drops off quite quickly. With many nocturnal frogs, the more mature ones will go higher into the trees at night, leaving the kids on the ground to fend for themselves. Coquis have a pad at the end of each toe that is used for sticking to surfaces. During the day, everyone goes back to ground. This is not definitive of all tree frogs, as with every type of animal with multiple species within it, adaptations can occur. Like most amphibians, tree frogs require moisture to keep their skins damp, and to live. This is why we hear them at night, when it tends to be damper, and when it is raining or has recently rained. Their piercing song has a double use. The first part, which is not the same note as the second, is used as a warning to the other males to stay away; interestingly, the females are not able to hear in that register. The second part of the call is for the ladies, inviting them to join the male. The Spanish coquí and the English/French coquille reflect the “ko-kee” call. The coqui’s mating call can attain nearly 100 decibels at a distance of half a metre. These little choir members range in size from about the size of the nail on your pinky to about half the length of a finger. The male is usually the larger. With as many as 20,000 coquis per hectare, there is no concern for them disappearing, and their consumption of pests is of huge benefit to humans. Plus, that is one heck of a choir!