# Habitat shots of granulifera, vittatus and auratus



## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

A few reference photos from the Pacific versant of Costa Rica in which all three of these species could be found.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

That auratus really demonstrates how obese so many captive frogs are.


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

Stunning pics! Thanks for the inspiration, although I might need a bigger tank before putting it to use

I love habitat shots and each time I see one, it adds another place to visit to my bucket list


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

epiphytes etc. said:


> That auratus really demonstrates how obese so may captive frogs are.


It really does amaze me how obese our animals are. I would much rather have a frog with a normal weight than one who is constantly fed for the owner's enjoyment. I try to keep all my animals as natural as possible and I hope more people will do the same...


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

Thank you for posting these! I've been looking for _P. vittatus_ habitat shots but haven't been able to track many down...

I would love to see more photos of the plants from the surrounding area if you have any.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

As far as plants you would probably be best going with various big-leafed aroids and Philodendron type species...maybe some gesnariads if you want to get fancy (these were predominantly growing from the moss on boulders):



















You should be able to find this one at your local Home Depot/Lowes:


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

Now we just need some IDs...


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Or use similar looking surrogate species.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

epiphytes etc. said:


> That auratus really demonstrates how obese so many captive frogs are.


That's true sometimes. I don't like seeing the ones that look like they are about to pop, but the wild frogs likely have a higher parasite load and well in the wild things are tough sometimes so you're likely to see skinnier frogs that are still... skinny for a frog. 

That granulifera is healthy looking, maybe kinda fat. frogs between that and the auratus pictured seem the fairly ideal.


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## Gerhard (Oct 28, 2013)

Would love going exploring around there, you are a very lucky man.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Nice shots! Very inspirational! I really like the rock with moss, ferns and gesneriads (?): I'd like to do something similar in viv. Thanks for sharing.


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## dendrothusiast (Sep 16, 2010)

More pics please Ron! They are giving me some great terrarium landscaping ideas.


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## botanyboy03 (Apr 18, 2009)

The first one is a gesneriad, likely a Sinningia species.
Second one has the same Sinningia as well as something in the Iridaceae.
The 3rd looks like Philidendron scandens 'Micans' but it could be something else related to that.
The fourth is likely one of the Shingle plant juvenile stage of a Monstera since this is a Neotropical forest.
And the last one looks like it could be adult foliage on Syngonium, though it could also be one of the pedate leaved adult forms of a Philodendron on second glance.

Zac




skylsdale said:


> As far as plants you would probably be best going with various big-leafed aroids and Philodendron type species...maybe some gesnariads if you want to get fancy (these were predominantly growing from the moss on boulders):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

The plant in the second picture with the irid is not the same as the probable Sinningia in the first. In fact, I'm not sure the second photo is a gesneriad at all, may be a melastome or acanth, I can't see the flower very well.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

This is the flower in the second picture: a completely different plant from the first one.










Also, the one plant is evidently not an iris, but something else altogether. Will have to see if I can find out--the flowers are quite strange.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Well, I guess it is a gesneriad.


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## botanyboy03 (Apr 18, 2009)

Still kinda looks like a gesneriad to me. I have a friend at the Smithsonian who is an expert in Gesneriads I can send pics to to see if he knows.

Zac


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## JoshsDragonz (Jun 30, 2012)

Hey Ron, those are some nice pictures! I always love seeing habitat pics.


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

Hey Ron, were there any _Peperomia_ sp. in the area?


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Bunsincunsin said:


> Hey Ron, were there any _Peperomia_ sp. in the area?


Not that I recall seeing in this specific location, no, which was pretty low in elevation. Most of the _Peperomia spp._ I recall seeing were both higher in elevation. Purely anecdotal observations--not sure if that has anything to do with their preferred habitats.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Is that not a pep on the right?


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

There seems to be a post by Epiphytes Etc. that it's not allowing me to see. Must be a glitch of some sort...?


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## xTimx (Mar 14, 2013)

AMAZING thread! thank you for the pics! i was always looking for natural habitat pics! very inspirational! thank you again!


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

skylsdale said:


> There seems to be a post by Epiphytes Etc. that it's not allowing me to see. Must be a glitch of some sort...?


It wasn't showing for me either but is now. You, Ron?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

You're not missing anything anyway.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Now I can see it. 

As far as I can tell regarding that plant on the right, it looks like it could definitely be some sort of peperomia. I found them to be reminiscent of a miniature hosta. Here is a closer photo of it:










Although I didn't see it at the time, there is a smaller plant growing even to the right of this one...but I can't tell if it is actually a vining/climbing plant or if those are little individual plantlets germinating from the moss.

Here is another shot where you can see that same plant nestled in the cleft of this fallen tree (and a line of leaf cutter ants getting across the stream):


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Ron, Do you recall what the high and low temps, and humidity levels, were like in these ares?


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

The 4th looks like Monstera Noid..


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

epiphytes etc. said:


> Is that not a pep on the right?


The foliage and habitat make me ALMOST think orchid. Its the right habitat for Phragmepedium, although I dont believe they range that far north


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Frogparty, I have this plant in cultivation: definitely not an orchid. Received a snippet of it several years ago from the UW Greenhouse.

OldLady, all I remember is that it was obscenely hot and humid as all getout. Not sure if that's specific enough for you.


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Thanks, I'll adjust my monitors on the tank to " obscenely hot and humid" lol.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

skylsdale said:


> Frogparty, I have this plant in cultivation: definitely not an orchid. Received a snippet of it several years ago from the UW Greenhouse.
> 
> OldLady, all I remember is that it was obscenely hot and humid as all getout. Not sure if that's specific enough for you.


I'm talking about the larger plant in the pic with the palmate growth habit. Are you?
I miss the UW greenhouse!!! Doug Huddle is THE MAN!


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I keep coming back to Irid on that thing, like a Neomarica or similar.


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## Dendroguy (Dec 4, 2010)

Does anyone else see a 300 gallon auratus/granulifera/vittatus biotope?

D


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## PumilioTurkey (Feb 25, 2010)

Great shots!


Severa Granilufera morphs were availabe at Marktheidenfeld this November but too expensive for me 

plus the fact that they are rather difficult to breed and need lower temps kept me away from getting a pair.


the looked gorgeous though!


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

epiphytes etc. said:


> I keep coming back to Irid on that thing, like a Neomarica or similar.


Here are a couple photos of the flowers.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

skylsdale said:


> Here are a couple photos of the flowers.


That looks like a Xiphidium species.
Maybe X. caeruleum, which does occur in Costa Rica.


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## ryangreenway (Apr 30, 2010)

Hey Ron, any chance you still have these photos around? They seem to have disappeared from the image hosting service.


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