Meet The 5 Cutest Frogs In The World

Written by Jennifer Gaeng
Published: December 28, 2022
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Frogs are any of the many tailless amphibians in the Anura order.  If the term “frog” is used properly, it may be confined to any member of the family Ranidae (real frogs). These slick, slimy little amphibians are available in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.

Frogs and toads are one of the most diverse animal groups on the planet. Even though croaking and jumping may be the most well-known things about these animals, they have many other unique traits and behaviors as well. There are some very adorable little frogs out there, despite not being the first thing that comes to mind when considering the cutest animals on earth.

In this article, you are going to meet the 5 cutest frogs in the world! Get ready to see this little creature in a whole new light.

1.      Poison Dart Frog

Red Animals - Strawberry Poison Dart Frog

The strawberry poison dart frog features unique traits in their eyes that enable them to differentiate between different color variations of its species.

©iStock.com/NTCo

The poison dart frog is a little, eye-catching, and vibrant frog. There are over 170 species of poison dart frogs in the world. These frogs can be found throughout South and Central America, where they are typically active during the day. It is a little frog that prefers to live in a humid climate. They are available in many different hues, including blue, black, golden, red, copper, green, and more! Depending on the species, these frogs can live for 3 to 15 years. The majority rarely exceed 1 inch in length. Despite being adorable to look at, do not touch this frog since it is poisonous.

2.      Granular Glass Frog

Most beautiful animal – Fleischmann's Glass Frog

They’re certainly pretty, but glass frog’s bodies are also super fragile. Even heavy rains can kill them.

©Agami Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com

Granular glass frogs are fascinating frogs that make fun little pets. They are quite entertaining to observe since you can literally see inside of them!  They can be many different hues, but typically have a greenish tint. Being land frogs, they spend most of their time in trees. They come in a range of hues, including red, yellow, blue, green, copper, and black, and have a lifespan of 10 to 14 years. They rarely grow longer than an inch, thus they are incredibly small.

3.      The Desert Rain Frog

Desert Rain Frog sitting on sand, South Africa

The Desert Rain Frog is a plump little frog with little sand pieces often stuck to its entire body.

©Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock.com

South Africa and Namibia are home to the desert rain frog. This cute little frog cries out in an oddly high tone that resembles a doggy chew toy. This plump little frog has short limbs, webbed toes, protruding eyes, and a short snout. Its internal organs are visible through a translucent region of skin on the bottom. It may range in length from 1.6 to 2.4 inches. It has a yellowish-brown tint, and sand frequently sticks to it.

It doesn’t go through the tadpole stage as the majority of other frog species do; instead, it grows from the egg straight into adulthood. It can’t jump or leap because of its thick body and short legs; instead, it moves slowly on the sand. It is unusual for a frog in that it can thrive without water in its environment. It has somewhat large, protruding eyes. The lifespan varies from 4 to 14 years.

4.      Paedophryne Amauensis

Paedophryne amanuensis is currently the worlds smallest frog!

©Rittmeyer EN, Allison A, Gründler MC, Thompson DK, Austin CC / Creative Commons – License

This is the smallest frog in the world, that we currently know of. It measures a mere 7.7 mm in length, which is equal to 0.3 inches! Nearly all of these little frogs are brand-new to science. The majority of them come in natural colors that act as camouflage, and their small size makes them nearly impossible to discover in the wilderness. These small frogs, which were found in New Guinea in 2009, lurk on the forest floors within fallen leaves. They are difficult to see due to their small, speckled brown appearance in addition to their diminutive size.

Its life cycle lacks a tadpole stage, similar to the Desert rain frog. These frogs hatch as “hoppers,” which are tiny versions of adult frogs. They have a jumping distance of up to 30 times their total body length. Their sounds are much like those of tiny insects and range in pitch from 8400 to 9400 Hz. Males mostly use these shrills to attract their female counterparts.

5. Monte Iberia Dwarf Frog

Eleutherodactylus Iberia is one of the smallest frogs in the world to be discovered.

©iStock.com/uba-foto

The Monte Iberia dwarf (Eleutherodactylus iberia) frog is one of the coolest and prettiest frogs in the world, mostly due to its diminutive size. With a total body length of just 10 mm (0.4 inches), it is among the world’s tiniest frogs. In fact, this is the tiniest frog in the Northern Hemisphere, and it exclusively inhabits a small area of the jungle in eastern Cuba. Adults have black skin with light yellow stripes. The species wasn’t known until 1993, since they are so uncommon and difficult to locate. They are still largely a mystery and are even regarded as highly endangered.

In Conclusion

Though defining what is cute is certainly a matter of opinion, it’s easy to see why many people think these are some of the cutest frogs in the world! From colorful, to extremely tiny, these little creatures would catch anyone’s eye should they happen upon one. However, given that many are extremely tiny, with the last two being micro-frogs, we wish you luck in spotting one!

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © Frank Cornelissen/Shutterstock.com


Sources

  1. Pet Keen, Available here: https://petkeen.com/cute-frog-pictures-that-will-make-you-happy/
  2. Cast A Net, Available here: https://www.castanet.net/news/Around-The-Web/304760/World-s-cutest-frog
  3. Britannica, Available here: https://www.britannica.com/animal/frog
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About the Author

Jennifer Gaeng is a writer at A-Z-Animals focused on animals, lakes, and fishing. With over 15 years of collective experience in writing and researching, Jennifer has honed her skills in various niches, including nature, animals, family care, and self-care. Hailing from Missouri, Jennifer finds inspiration in spending quality time with her loved ones. Her creative spirit extends beyond her writing endeavors, as she finds joy in the art of drawing and immersing herself in the beauty of nature.

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