The greenhouse frog

A greenhouse frog is seen among leaf litter in Wutong Mountain in Luohu District. Photos by Isaac Cohen

The greenhouse frog

The greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) is a small frog native to the Caribbean but has found its way to many parts of the world, including our beautiful Shenzhen. This fascinating frog is very tiny, measuring only about 25 millimeters in length. The greenhouse frog’s color is typically brown, reddish-brown, or gray, with dark stripes or spots on its back. The head may be marked with a dark triangle, and the toes are long and thin, tipped with small adhesive pads.

温室蟾，原产于美洲加勒比海地区，随远洋货轮散布至全球，成为深圳的外来物种。他们体型极小，身长仅2.5厘米，体色视个体差异，主要呈褐色、棕红色及灰色，背部具深色条纹或斑点，头部具深色的三角形印记，趾纤长，末端具吸盘。

The greenhouse frog is a terrestrial species found in various habitats, including gardens, greenhouses, and among leaf litter. The frog is an insectivore, feeding on various small invertebrates, including ants, beetles, and spiders.

温室蟾是一种常见于花园、温室及落叶腐殖质层中的陆行蛙蟾类动物，主要取食蚂蚁、甲虫等昆虫、蜘蛛及其他小型无脊椎动物。

A greenhouse frog is seen in Meilin Mountain, Futian District.

This amphibian is oviparous, laying eggs rather than giving birth to live young.Females lay several eggs in moist soil or leaf litter, and they will hatch after about 10 days, and the tadpoles develop in the water-filled cavities of plants or other objects.

本物种营卵生。雌性常产卵于潮湿的土壤或落叶层中，卵经10天孵化为蝌蚪，在发育出四肢前都生活在植被茂密、隐蔽性好的水体中。

The greenhouse frog is considered an invasive species in many parts of the world, including Southeast China, where it was accidentally introduced along with imported plants from the Americas. Due to its ability to thrive in various habitats and a lack of natural predators in its introduced range, it poses a threat to our local ecosystems.

温室蟾是一种“臭名昭著”的入侵物种，在我国的东南地区也很常见，推测是随从美洲进口的植物等农作物输入中国。它的适应能力强，且因是外来物种，在输入地没有天敌，因此恐对本地的生态系统造成较大的威胁。

A greenhouse frog is seen in Meilin Mountain, Futian District.

The greenhouse frog is known to compete with native species for resources and may also serve as a vector for disease. In some areas, the greenhouse frog has been found to have a negative impact on populations of native amphibians.

Local authorities must monitor its population and take further steps to control its rapid spread in our city.

温室蟾不仅与本土蛙蟾类争夺空间和资源，同时也是疾病的携带者。鉴于该物种在某些地区的泛滥已经威胁到了本土物种的生存，主管部门应当对温室蟾的当地种群开展监测，并采取措施遏止它们的蔓延。