Slumbering green tree frog, showing its unique nictitating membrane

[Donkees]

Photo: Joshua Ong

The red-eyed tree frog is native to Central America and northwestern South America. Its large red eyes offer a wide field of vision, allow it to see in low light, and are very good at tracking motion. Those capabilities are adaptations given its nocturnal insectivore life.

Most frogs, including the red-eyed tree frog, have a third eyelid that is semitransparent and serves several purposes. First, it protects the eye while the frog is jumping or swimming, while still allowing it to see. Second, it hides the bright color of the eye from predators without obstructing the frog’s vision. And third, when the frog is resting on the surface of a leaf during the day, with the edges of its body pressed tightly against the leaf to minimize casting a conspicuous shadow, the lid can be drawn over the eyeball without compromising the frog’s ability to see approaching danger.

At rest, the frog can even retract its eyeballs into its skull, an ability that also helps it swallow its prey – yes, frogs use their eyes to help push food down their gullet. When they open their eyes, the eyeballs emerge from the sockets like a pair of pop-up headlights, which may startle and disorient a predator.

https://www.hhmi.org/beautifulbiology/media-detail/eye-trees

[Skittles]

1. oh my

that doesn't even look real

[WestMichRad]

2. That's awesome!

Very cool. Check out the linked article for more info on this frog and its eyes.

[Donkees]

3. High res photos:

Photographer
Christian Ziegler
High res
6144 x 4096pixels


Photographer
Christian Ziegler
High res
6144 x 4096pixels