Smoky Jungle Frog

Leptodactylus pentadactylus

A big South American frog up to seven inches long that puffs up and shrieks to scare predators.

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About the Smoky Jungle Frog

Smoky jungle frogs can grow up to 7 inches long. They have brownish backs with black markings and cream-colored bellies. They live in tropical lowland forests, swamps, riverbanks and marshes of northern South America. During the day they hide in burrows, leaf litter or under logs, and at night they hunt insects and small reptiles, amphibians, mammals and even birds.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Leptodactylus pentadactylus^[1]
Size: Up to 7 inches long.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Insects, small reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds.^[1]
Habitat: Tropical lowland forests, swamps, riverbanks and marshes.^[1]
Where it lives: Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil and French Guiana.^[1]
Group life: Nocturnal.^[1]
Babies: Up to 1,000 eggs in a foam nest near water.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2008).^[2]

Fun facts

Smoky jungle frogs shriek when threatened.^[1]
They lay eggs in a nest of foam.^[1]
They're big enough to eat small birds.^[1]

Vocabulary

foam nest: A bubbly mass some frogs make to hold their eggs.
mucus: A slippery, slimy liquid.
leaf litter: Fallen leaves on the forest floor.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
amphibian: A cold-blooded animal, like a frog or salamander, that usually starts life in water.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · AmphibiansSee 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. “Smoky jungle frog.” https://www.sfzoo.org/smoky-jungle-frog/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Leptodactylus pentadactylus (Smoky Jungle Frog).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/57154/11593184 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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