Amazon Milk Frog

Trachycephalus resinifictrix

A bumpy gray-and-brown rainforest tree frog that oozes a milky, poisonous liquid when threatened.

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About the Amazon Milk Frog

Amazon milk frogs live in the rainforest canopy of Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Brazil. They are patterned in light and dark brownish-gray with bumpy skin and large toe pads for climbing. Females grow up to 3.5 inches and males up to 3. They are nocturnal and have big vocal sacs for a loud call.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Trachycephalus resinifictrix^[1]
Size: Females up to 3.5 inches; males up to 3 inches.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Insects and other small invertebrates.^[1]
Habitat: Tropical rainforest canopy.^[1]
Where it lives: Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Brazil.^[1]
Group life: Nocturnal.^[1]
Babies: More than 2,000 eggs in a water-filled tree hole.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021).^[2]

Fun facts

Milk frogs ooze a milky poison when threatened.^[1]
Males call from inside tree holes so the sound carries.^[1]
They're also called mission golden-eyed tree frogs.^[1]

Vocabulary

secretion: A liquid an animal makes and releases.
vocal sac: A stretchy pouch of skin a frog fills with air to call.
canopy: The top layer of a forest, made of treetops.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
tadpole: A young frog or toad that lives in water and breathes with gills.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · AmphibiansSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
Oakland ZooOakland, California · Reptile and Amphibian Discovery RoomSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Amazon milk frog.” https://www.sfzoo.org/amazon-milk-frog/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Trachycephalus resinifictrix (Amazon Milk Frog).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/79680060/61405034 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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