brittlestar vs Cochran Frog

Amphiura filiformis compared with Nymphargus cochranae

Key Differences

• brittlestar is Least Concern while Cochran Frog is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	brittlestar	Cochran Frog
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Echinodermata (Echinoderms)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Ophiuroidea (Ophiuroidea)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Amphilepidida (Amphilepidida)	Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family	Amphiuridae	Centrolenidae
Genus	Amphiura	Nymphargus
Species	Amphiura filiformis	Nymphargus cochranae

Evolutionary Relationship

brittlestar and Cochran Frog share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

brittlestar

LC — Least Concern

Cochran Frog

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	brittlestar	Cochran Frog
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

brittlestar

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Cochran Frog

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in Colombia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

brittlestar

The Brittlestar (Amphiura filiformis) is a species in the genus Amphiura. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Cochran Frog

The Cochran frog (Nymphargus cochranae) is a small glass frog in the family Centrolenidae, native to the cloud forests of the western and central Andes in Colombia. Like other centrolenid frogs, it is characterised by semi-transparent or translucent ventral skin through which internal organs — including the heart, liver, and digestive tract — are visible, a feature that gives the family its common name. The species inhabits humid montane rainforest along streams at elevations typically between 1,500 and 2,800 metres, where males call from vegetation overhanging fast-flowing streams to attract females. Eggs are deposited in gelatinous masses on leaves or rocks above the water; upon hatching, tadpoles drop into the stream below and develop in the current-swept environment. Nymphargus cochranae is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, primarily due to ongoing deforestation and degradation of cloud forest habitats driven by agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, and coca cultivation across its Colombian Andean range. Glass frogs are additionally sensitive to stream water quality, making them useful bioindicators of watershed health. The species was named in honour of the eminent American herpetologist Doris Mable Cochran of the Smithsonian Institution, who made foundational contributions to Central and South American amphibian taxonomy in the mid-twentieth century. Continued habitat protection and reforestation efforts are critical for its long-term survival.