Cochran Frog vs North African Hedgehog

Nymphargus cochranae compared with Atelerix algirus

Key Differences

• Cochran Frog is Vulnerable while North African Hedgehog is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cochran Frog	North African Hedgehog
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Anura (Frogs & Toads)	Erinaceomorpha (Erinaceomorpha)
Family	Centrolenidae	Erinaceidae
Genus	Nymphargus	Atelerix
Species	Nymphargus cochranae	Atelerix algirus

Evolutionary Relationship

Cochran Frog and North African Hedgehog share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Cochran Frog

VU — Vulnerable

North African Hedgehog

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cochran Frog	North African Hedgehog
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

North African Hedgehog

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across France, Malta, and Spain.

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.