The Jamaican laughing frog (Osteopilus ocellatus) is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Jamaica. Other common names include Savanna-la-Mar treefrog.

This is a common species in most parts of Jamaica, where it occurs in a variety of habitat types, including developed but rural areas.

Jamaican laughing frog

It is associated with bromeliads as It sometimes lays its eggs inside these plants and the tadpoles develop there. It does this in regions of Jamaica where the porous limestone substrate prevents reliable above-ground water storage. On other parts of the island the frog will brood in streams or pools of water.

Jamaican laughing frog

Taxonomic studies determined that the binomial names Rana ocellata and Osteopilus brunneus belong to this species as synonyms, and distinguished this taxon from the mainly South American species Leptodactylus latrans.

Jamaican laughing frog

References

Osteopilus

Endemic fauna of Jamaica

Amphibians of Jamaica

Amphibians described in 1851

Taxonomy articles created by Polbot