Vietnamese Mossy Frog

About the Vietnamese Mossy Frog

Quick facts

Scientific name

Theloderma corticale^[1]

Size

Up to about 3.5 inches long.^[1]

Lifespan

Probably about 10 years.^[1]

Diet

Large insects such as crickets and cockroaches.^[1]

Habitat

Flooded caves and rocky mountain streams.^[1]

Where it lives

Northern Vietnam.^[1]

Group life

Nocturnal.^[1]

Babies

8 to 10 eggs laid above water; tadpoles drop in when they hatch.^[1]

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2022).^[2]

Fun facts

• ⭐Mossy frogs can throw their voices 10 to 13 feet.^[1]
• ⭐They roll into a ball and play dead when scared.^[1]
• ⭐A cousin, the warty tree frog, looks like bird droppings.^[1]

Vocabulary

camouflage

Colors or patterns that help an animal blend in.

metamorphosis

A big change in body form as an animal grows, like a tadpole turning into a frog.

tadpole

A young frog that lives in water and breathes with gills.

nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

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. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee 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. [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Vietnamese mossy frog.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/vietnamese-mossy-frog (accessed 2026-10-08)
2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Theloderma corticale.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/219709082/219667057 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.