Gastrotheca

Gastrotheca is a captivating genus of frogs belonging to the family Hemiphractidae. These distinctive amphibians can be found in Central America, south of Costa Rica, and throughout South America, predominantly along the American Cordillera from southern Costa Rica to northwestern Argentina. What makes them particularly fascinating is their diversity of marsupial frogs, with most species possessing a specialized dorsal brood pouch.

In certain species, fertilization occurs on the female's lower back. Subsequently, the male assists in inserting the fertilized eggs into her pouch using his toes. Once inside the pouch, the eggs receive oxygen through contact with the female's vascular tissue.

One noteworthy species in this genus is Gastrotheca guentheri, commonly known as Günther's marsupial frog. It is the only frog known to possess true teeth in its lower jaw. Another significant species is Gastrotheca riobambae, or the Andean marsupial tree frog, which is often kept as a pet and utilized in scientific research.

In total, there are 74 recognized species within the Gastrotheca genus. AmphibiaWeb lists 69 of these species, excluding Gastrotheca lojana.