Cranwell's Horned Frog

Ceratophrys cranwelli

A round, big-mouthed 'Pac-Man frog' from South America's Gran Chaco that sometimes tries to swallow prey bigger than itself.

🐸 Frogs

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About the Cranwell's Horned Frog

Cranwell's horned frogs are 3.1 to 5.1 inches long and can weigh up to 1.1 pounds. They have wide, flat heads, huge mouths and horn-like ridges above the eyes. They live only in the Gran Chaco of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil, a region of dry thorny forests, palm savannas and seasonal wetlands. They hide motionless for hours and ambush insects and other small animals.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Ceratophrys cranwelli^[1]
Size: 3.1 to 5.1 inches long.^[1]
Weight: Up to 1.1 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: Usually 1 to 4 years in the wild; longer in human care.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Insects and other small animals.^[1]
Habitat: Dry thorny forests, palm savannas and seasonal wetlands.^[1]
Where it lives: The Gran Chaco of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.^[1]
Group life: Nocturnal in the rainy season.^[1]
Babies: Eggs laid in temporary rain pools; tadpoles eat insects and each other.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

It's nicknamed the Pac-Man frog.^[1]
It sometimes rests with its eyes open.^[1]
Males call with a sound like a bass horn.^[1]

Vocabulary

estivate: To rest in a sleep-like state during hot or dry weather.
ambush predator: A hunter that hides and waits for prey to come close.
amphibian: A cold-blooded animal, such as a frog or salamander, that usually starts life in water and has moist skin.
tadpole: A young frog that lives in water and breathes with gills.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · AmazoniaSee 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] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Cranwell's horned frog.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/cranwells-horned-frog (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Ceratophrys cranwelli (Cranwell's Horned Frog).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/56338/101427626 (accessed 2026-10-08)