Coastal Rocket Frog vs Grasping Treefrog

Allobates bromelicola compared with Sarcohyla labedactyla

Key Differences

• Coastal Rocket Frog is Vulnerable while Grasping Treefrog is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Rocket Frog	Grasping Treefrog
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order same	Anura (Frogs & Toads)	Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family	Aromobatidae	Hylidae
Genus	Allobates	Sarcohyla
Species	Allobates bromelicola	Sarcohyla labedactyla

Evolutionary Relationship

Coastal Rocket Frog and Grasping Treefrog share a common ancestor at the Order level: Anura. (Frogs & Toads)

Conservation Status

Coastal Rocket Frog

VU — Vulnerable

Grasping Treefrog

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Rocket Frog	Grasping Treefrog
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal Rocket Frog

Habitat

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

Range

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

Grasping Treefrog

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Nearctic and Neotropic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Coastal Rocket Frog

Coastal rocket frog (Allobates bromelicola) is a small terrestrial frog in the family Allophrynidae (formerly placed in Dendrobatidae), endemic to coastal lowland forests of Venezuela. Despite its placement near poison dart frogs, Allobates species are non-toxic. This species inhabits the humid leaf litter and bromeliads of coastal Venezuelan forests, where adults care for egg clutches and transport tadpoles to small water bodies including bromeliad phytotelmata. The genus Allobates is widespread across Amazonian and coastal South American forests, characterised by vocal males, ground-level activity, and close parental care. Coastal rocket frog is assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, primarily due to restricted range, habitat loss from deforestation for agriculture, livestock grazing, and urban expansion along Venezuela's coast. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns affecting its bromeliad microhabitats. The species' specific association with bromeliads makes it particularly sensitive to vegetation structure loss. As with many narrowly endemic amphibians, ex-situ conservation programmes and improved habitat protection within its range are considered important management priorities.