Tag: Yasuni Biosphere Reserve

  • Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    Learn about the Frogs living in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador.

    We invite you to check in the fascinating world of the Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    Until three decades ago, the site considered as the most diverse in the world in amphibians and reptiles was the town of Santa Cecilia, The studies while the forest was being deforested and the soil moved with excavators in 1978. in Sucumbíos, Ecuador.

    Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Bromeliad Tree Frog

    In a closer region with high species richness, Leticia in the Amazon Colombia reported 98 species of anurans species.

    Another remote region with high species richness reported 111 species of amphibians for the Manú National Park in Peru.

    The next area with an exceptional diversity of amphibians in the Yasuní National Biosphere, where more than 130 species of amphibians have been recorded in a single locality.

    Upon seeing all these comparisons, the high richness of amphibian, as well as the extreme concentration of diversity in a small area, clearly indicates the importance of the Yasuní, it is mandatory to conserve one of the richest herpetofauna communities in the entire world.

    There are many species frogs that remain to be described for science, we know little or nothing about their natural history of Amazonian amphibians, their state of conservation and risk of extinction in the face of factors such as the destruction of habitats or climate changes at local, regional and global scales

    Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Trachycepahlus Tree Frog ~ Shiripuno Lodge ~ Amazon Herping Week

    The Ambihians Numbers 

    The local diversity (alpha diversity) of amphibians in Ecuador reaches its highest value in the Tropical Amazonian Humid Forest.
    The endemism in the Amazon Tropical Rainforest in Ecuador rach only 15.9 %.
    The greatest species richness is concentrated in the Amazonian provinces: Napo, Sucumbíos, and Pastaza. Notably, the diversity of the province of Napo (199 species) surpasses that of entire countries such as Argentina or Canada.

    Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Shiripuno Lodge ~ The Amazon Horned Rain Frog, it’s a ground-dweller amphibian using its camouflage waits for its prey to pass by, the sit-and-wait technique is used by many species of the Amazon Rainforest.

    Conservation of the Frogs in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    About 19 amphibian species that were unknown to science up to that time. Ten of these species have been described in recent years based on specimens collected in Ecuador

    • A species of toad: Rhaebo ecuadoriensis
    • Five species of tree frogs: Osteocephalus Yasuni, Boana alfaroi, Boana maculateralis, Boana nympha, and Dendropsophus shiwiarum
    • A species of rocket frog Hyloxalus yasuní
    • Three species of cutish frogs Pristimantis aureolineatus, Pristimantis omeviridis, Pristimantis waoranii.

    Still, there are to describe at least three species of the genus of toads Rhinella, a Boana tree frog, at least two species of cutin frogs Pristimantis.

    Nine species were reported for Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest, including frogs like:

    • Noblella myrmecoides.
    • Pristimantis orcus.
    • Pristimantis eurydactylus.
    • Pristimantis skydmainos.
    • Dendropsophus delarivai.
    • Cochranella ritae.
    • Rhaebo guttatus.

    Besides, very rare records for the country, such as the Gastrotheca longipes, Dendropsophus miyatai, Cochranella resplendens.

    Amazon Marsupial Tree-Frog (Gastrotheca longipes) in the Yasuni

    In comparison with other Amazonian sites very diversified and well sampled, the anuran species richness of Ecuador It is greater in all cases.

    Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    The families of amphibians with the highest number of species are frogs Hylidae arboreal, Strabomantidae land frogs, Bufonidae toads, and Leptodactylidae thin-toed frogs, followed closely by members of the Poisonous frogs (Aromobatidae and Dendrobatidae families)

    List of Frogs you can find the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    Anywhere in the Rainforest, eventually you will cross with a frog but if you are trying to find them as soon as you arrive. First, get your bearings right, let know others where are you heading.

    Family: Aromobatidae, Nurse Frogs, Jumping Frog

    • Allobates femoralis, Jumping frog with bright thighs
    • Allobates fratisenescus, Mera Jumping Frog
    • Allobates insperatus, Santa Cecilia Jumping Frog
    • Allobates kingsburyi, Jumping Frog from the Topo River
    • Allobates trilineatus, Trilineated Jumping Frog
    • Allobates zaparo, Jumping Frog Zápara

    Family: Bufonidae Toads, Jambatos, Harlequin Frogs

    • Amazophrynella siona, Sapito Siona
    • Atelopus boulengeri, Jambato of Boulenger
    • Atelopus palmatus, Jambato of Andersson
    • Atelopus planispina, Jambato of Planispina
    • Atelopus spumarius, Jambato Amazónico
    • Rhaebo ecuadorensis, Ecuadorian Giant Toad
    • Rhaebo guttatus, Cuyabeno Giant Toad
    • Rhinella ceratophrys, cuckold Termite Toad
    • Rhinella dapsilis, Sapo orejón
    • Rhinella festae, Toad Valley Santiago
    • Rhinella margaritifera, Sapo common South American
    • Rhinella marina, Cane toad
    • Rhinella poeppigii, Toad of Moyobamba
    • Rhinella proboscidea, Toad snout
    • Rhinella roqueana, Toad of Roque

    Family: Centrolenidae, Glass Frog

    • Centrolene charapita, Frog of c Ristal charapita
    • Cochranella resplendens, Glass frog resplandeciente
    • Espadarana durrellorum, Rana crystal iaspidiense Jambué
    • Hyalinobatrachium, Rana crystal Yuruani
    • Hyalinobatrachium munozorum, Glass Frog Santa Cecilia
    • Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum, Glass frog fantasma
    • Hyalinobatrachium ruedai, Rana crystal Rueda
    • Hyalinobatrachium yaku, frog yaku
    • Nymphargus glass chancas , Crystal tree frog from Peru,
    • Nymphargus cochranae, Crystal frog from Cochran,
    • Nymphargus laurae, Crystal frog from Laura,
    • Nymphargus mariae, Crystal frog from Maria
    • Rulyrana flavopunctata, Yellow spotted glass frog,
    • Rulyrana mcdiarmidi, Crystal frog from the Jambue River,
    • Teratohyla amelie, Amelie crystal frog,
    • Teratohyla midas, Aguarico
    • Vitreorana ritae glass frog, black-spotted glass frog

    Family: Ceratophryidae, Bocon frogs

    • Ceratophrys cornuta, Great Horned toad
    • Ceratophrys testudo, Ecuadorian toad

    Family: DendrobatidaeFamily: Dendrobatidae Poisonous Frogs, Rocket Frogs

    • Ameerega frogs bilinguis, poison frog ecuatoriana
    • Ameerega hahneli, poison frog Yurimaguas
    • Ameerega parvula, poisonous frog Sarayacu
    • Excidobates captivus, poisonous frog Santiago
    • Hyloxalus cevallosi river, Rana rocket Palanda
    • Hyloxalus elachyhistus, Rana rocket Loja
    • Hyloxalus italoi, Rana rocket Pastaza
    • Hyloxalus maculosus, Rana rocket Puyo
    • Hyloxalus nexipus, Frog rocket from Los Tayos
    • Hyloxalus sauli, Rana rocket from Santa Cecilia
    • Hyloxalus yasuni, Rana rocket from Yasuní
    • Leucostethus fugax, Frog from Pastaza
    • Ranitomeya reticulata, Reddish poisonous frog
    • Ranitomeya variabilis, Poisonous frog from yellow lines
    • Ranitomeya ventrimaculata, Poisonous frog from Sarayacu

    Family: Eleutherodactylidae Immigrant frog

    • Adelophryne adiastola, Frog of Yapina

    Family: Hemiphractidae, Marsupials Frogs and related

    • Gastrotheca andaquiensis, Marsupials Frog of Andaqui
    • Gastrotheca longipes, Marsupials Frog of Pastaza
    • Gastrotheca testudinea, Marsupials Frogof Jimenez de la Espada
    • Gastrotheca weinlan dii, Weinland Marsupials Frog
    • Hemiphractus bubalus, Triangular head frog from Ecuador
    • Hemiphractus helioi, Triangular head frog from Cuzco
    • Hemiphractus proboscideus, Triangular head frog from Sumaco
    • Hemiphractus scutatus, Triangular head frog horned incubator

     

    Family: Hylidae,  Treefrogs

    • Agalychnis buckleyi, Buckley monkey frog
    • Agalychnis hulli , Amazon monkey frog
    • Boana alfaroi, Alfaro tree frog
    • Boana almendarizae, Almendáriz tree frog
    • Boana boans, Gladiator frog
    • Boana calcarata, Spur tree frog
    • Boana cinerascens, Frog granosa
    • Boana fasciata, Gunther tree frog
    • Geographical frog, Geographical frog
    • Boana lanciformis, Common lanceolate frog
    • Boana maculateralis, Spotted tree frog
    • Boana nympha, tree frog nymph
    • Boana punctata, dotted frog
    • Boana tetete, Tree frog of the Tetetes
    • Cruziohyla craspedopus, Amazonian leaf frog
    • Dendropsophus bifurcus, Small clown frog
    • Dendropsophus bokermanni, Bokermann tree frog
    • Dendropsophus brevifrons, tree Frog of Crump
    • Dendropsophus marmoratus, Infant marmorea
    • Dendropsophus minutus, yellow Infant común
    • Dendropsophus miyatai, tree Frog of Miyata
    • Dendropsophus parviceps, Infant caricorta
    • Dendropsophus reticulatus, Infant reticulada
    • Dendropsophus rhodopeplus, Infant bandeada
    • Dendropsophus riveroi, tree Frog of Rivero
    • Dendropsophus sarayacuensis, Frog of Sarayacu
    • Dendropsophus shiwiarum, Infant shiwiar
    • Dendropsophus triangulum, Triangular frog
    • Hyloscirtus albopunctulatus, White spot torrent frog
    • Hyloscirtus phyllognathus, Roque torrent frog
    • Nyctimantis rugiceps, Canelos tree frog
    • Osteocephalus alboguttatus, Sarayacu hull frog
    • Osteocephalus buckleyi, Buckley hull frog
    • Osteocephalus cabrerai, Cabrera hull frog
    • Osteocephalus cannatellai, Helmet frog Cannatella
    • Osteocephalus deridens, Mocking Helmet Frog
    • Osteocephalus festae, Helmet frog of Festa
    • Osteocephalus fusciis, Napo
    • Osteocephalus mutabor helmet frog, Pucuno helmet frog
    • Osteocephalus planiceps, Arboreal helmet frog
    • Osteocephalus taurinus, Taurine hull frog
    • Osteocephalus verruciger, Verrucose hull frog
    • Osteocephalus vilmae, Vilma helmet frog
    • Osteocephalus yasuni, Yasuni hull frog
    • Phyllomedusa coelestis, Frog monkey celestial
    • Phyllomedusa palliata, Frog monkey jaguar
    • Phyllomedusa tarsius, Frog monkey lemur
    • Phyllomedusa tomopterna, Frog monkey green orange
    • Phyllomedusa vaillantii, Frog monkey with white lines
    • Scinax cruentomma, Rain frog from the Aguarico river
    • Scinax funereus, Moyabamba rain frog
    • Scinax garbei, Trumpet rain frog
    • Scinax ruber, Frog of rain listed
    • Spheenorhynchus carneus, Lemon tree frog
    • Sphaenorhynchus dorisae, Leticia lake frog
    • Sphaenorhynchus lacteus, Milk lake frog
    • Tepuihyla tuberculosa, Canelos owl frog
    • Trachycephalus coriaceus, Surinam horn frog
    • Trachycephalus cunauaru, Tuberculous hull frog
    • Trachycephalus macrot is, Pastaza dairy frog

    Family: Leptodactylidae Gualag frogs, Smoked rhea, Túngara rheas and related

    • Adenomera andreae, André terrestrial frog
    • Adenomera hylaedactyla, Napo terrestrial frog
    • Edalorhina perezi, Rana vaquita
    • Engystomops petersi, Petersana sparrow-like frog
    • Laptodactylus discodactylus, Vanzolini terrestrial frog
    • Leptodactylus knudseni, Ground toad amazónico
    • Leptodactylus leptodactyloides, Rana land común
    • Leptodactylus mystaceus, toad-frog terrestrial común
    • Leptodactylus pentadactylus, Rana land gigante
    • Leptodactylus petersii, Rana termitera of Peters
    • Leptodactylus rhodomystax, terrestrial frog Boulenger
    • Leptodactylus stenodema, terrestrial frog Moti
    • Leptodactylus wagneri, terrestrial frog Wagner
    • Lithodytes lineatus, Rana land rayada

    Familia: Microhylidae Frogs Leaf Litters

    • Chiasmocleis anatipes, Leaf litter frog from Santa Cecilia
    • Chiasmocleis antenori, Leaf litter frog from Ecuador
    • Chiasmocleis bassleri, Leaf-nosed frog beetle
    • Chiasmocleis parkeri, Frog leaf litter of Parker
    • Chiasmocleis tridactyla, Peruvian leaf litter frog
    • Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata, Pastaza river leaf frog
    • Ctenophryne geayi, Brown leaf frog Bolivian hibiscus, Bolivian leaf frog
    • Synapturanus rabus, Colombian leaf frog

    Family: Pipidae Surinam toad

    • Pipa pipa, Surinam toad

    Family: Ranidae comunes

    • Rana palmipes, Common Frog River Amazonas

    Family: Strabomantidae frogs cutín

    • Hypodactylus nigrovittatus, fat frog amazónica
    • Noblella myrmecoides, southern frog quixensis Loreto
    • Oreobates, Sapito loudmouth amazónico
    • Pristimantis acuminatus, Cutin puntiagudo
    • Pristimantis albujai, Cutin of Albuja
    • Pristimantis altamazonicus, Cutin amazónico
    • Pristimantis altamnis, Cutin of Carabaya
    • Pristimantis aureolineatus, Cutin of golden band
    • Pristimantis barrigai, Cutín de Barriga
    • Pristimantis brevicrus, Cutín of Andersson
    • Pristimantis carvalhoi, Cutín de Carvalho
    • Pristimantis churuwiai, Cutín of Churuwia
    • Pristimantis citriogaster, Cutí n belly amarillo
    • Pristimantis conspicillatus, Cutin of Zamora
    • Pristimantis croceoinguinis, Cutin Santa Cecilia
    • Pristimantis Delius, Cutin coffee rayado
    • Pristimantis diadematus, Cutin of diadema
    • Pristimantis enigmaticus, Cutin enigmático
    • Pristimantis Galdi, Cutin green amazónico
    • Pristimantis katoptroides, Cutin of Puyo
    • Pristimantis kichwarum, Cutin kichwa
    • Pristimantis lacrimosus, Cutin lanthanites llorón
    • Pristimantis, Cutin metálico
    • Pristimantis librarius, Cutin spots cafes
    • Pristimantis limoncochensis, Cutin of Limoncocha
    • Pristimantis luscombei, Cutin of Loreto
    • Pristimantis malkini, Cutin the Ampiyacu
    • Pristimantis martiae river, Cutin of Martha
    • Pristimantis matidiktyo, Cutin eye reticulados
    • Pristimantis metabates, Cutin of Chiriaco
    • Pristimantis miktos, Cutin Mezclado
    • Pristimantis minimus, Cutin Diminuto
    • Pristimantis nigrogriseus, Cutin of Baños
    • Pristimantis omeviridis, Cutín de Tambococha
    • Pristimantis orestes, Cutín de Urdaneta
    • Pristimantis orphnolaimus, Cutín de La go Agrio
    • Pristimantis paululus, Cutin of estribaciones
    • Pristimantis peruvianus, Cutin of Perú
    • Pristimantis petersi, Cutin of Peters
    • Pristimantis prolatus, Cutin oculto
    • Pristimantis pseudoacuminatus, Cutin of Sarayacu
    • Pristimantis quaquaversus, Cutin the Coca
    • Pristimantis rubicundus river, Cutin rubicundo
    • Pristimantis skydmainos, Cutin of Manu
    • Pristimantis trachyblepharis, Cutin strip blanca
    • Pristimantis variabilis, Cutin variable
    • Pristimantis ventrimarmoratus, Cutin belly marmoleado
    • Pristimantis waoranii, Cutin waorani
    • Pristimantis Yantzaza, Cutin of Yantzaza
    • Strabomantis cornutus, Cutin bocón of cuernos
    • Strabomantis sulcatus, Cutin bocón of Nauta

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  • 10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    The 10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador, you will learn here.

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    The Bromeliad Tree Frog of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador. Genus: Osteocephalus. Yasuni Biosphere Reserve.

    The Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador or “Oriente” is one of the most biodiverse places on the surface of our Planet!

    In this post, you will learn 10 amazing facts about the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest.

    Animals in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    Ocelot in the Yasuni National Park in Ecuador.
    The Ocelot is a medium-sized cat that wanders in the trails deep in the Yasuni National Park in Ecuador.

    Before we sink into some facts about the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador, let’s watch a video filmed in Yasuni Biosphere Reserve ( National Park & Waorani Reserve ).

    The Yasuni is said to be where Life exploded into millions of forms and shapes it is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.


    Watch on YouTube via Fernando Vaca

    Get your free Brochure for your Amazon Rainforest trip

    Watch a Video of Yasuni National Park in Ecuador


    Watch on YouTube via Fernando Vaca
    Now, let’s learn more about the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador.

    About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    The Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador represents only 2% of the Amazon Basin which stretches across 9 countries, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana (Overseas France), Peru, and Suriname.

    The Amazon Rainforest takes up only seven percent of the planet’s land mass, yet half the earth’s plant species are found in the Amazon Rainforest.

    High net productivity is experienced in birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects, Life flourishes in every corner here.

    The following facts focus on the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest.

    Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador: 10 Amazing Facts

    1) There is an incredible number of tree species in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador,
    Just 62 acres (1/4 of a square kilometer) of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador supports over 1,100 species of trees.

    That makes it among the highest of any region in the world.

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    The Amazon Rainforest Tree Canopy

    Amazon  Nature Trips in Ecuador

    There are more species of trees and bushes in one hectare here than in all of North America!
    2) The Amazon Rainforest is the largest region in Ecuador.
    There are several Bioregions on mainland Ecuador, the Costa (Coastal lowlands), the Sierra (Andean highlands), and the Oriente (the Amazon).

    The Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador covers the eastern portion of the country. It includes six Ecuadorian provinces:  Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Sucumbios, Morona Santiago, and Zamora-Chinchipe.

    Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador Map

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Map of Ecuador, Amazon Rainforest is shown in green

    Image Credit – Foros Ecuador

    3) The number of animal species found in Ecuador’s Amazon is outstanding.
    The Amazon in Ecuador is boasting of animal species with no rivals.

    In Yasuni Biosphere Reserve alone there are 150 amphibian species (more than the U.S. and Canada combined), 121 species of reptiles, over 200 species of mammals, over 596 birds, and 382 species of fish.

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Rhinella Crested Toad, blend perfectly in the soil background of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador.

    Animals in the Ecuador Amazon

    Insects also love the Amazon. Over 70,000 species of insects can be found in one acre of rainforest.

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Rhetus butterflies are usually found singly or in very low numbers, in the vicinity of streams or rivers.

    In the following video, you’ll see some of the animals that call the Amazon home.

    This video was filmed in Yasuni National Park.

    Animals of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador Video
    Watch on YouTube via National Geographic
    4) The Ecuadorian Amazon is a bird watcher’s paradise<span
    With over 587 species of birds, the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador is a birder’s paradise. Birdwatching trips are a huge draw for visitors to this area.

    With a knowledgeable guide, you could see around 250 to 300 species during your trip.

    Birdwatching in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Tourism in the Yasuni National Park

    The following video highlights some of the bird species in the Ecuador Amazon.
    Birds of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador Video

    Watch on YouTube via Fernando Vaca

    Learn more about Birds of the Amazon Rainforest.

    5) There are 4 National Parks in Ecuador’s Amazon Jungle
    There are 5 National Parks  in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador to promote the Conservation of Nature:

    • Yasuni
    • Cayambe-Coca
    • Llanganates
    • Sumaco Napo-Galeras
    • Río Negro-Sopladora

    Yasuni National Park and Biosphere Reserve are said to be the most biodiverse place on earth. It’s Ecuador’s largest National Park and is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

    Frogs in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Bromeliad Tree Frog are active during the night, it moves in the canopy and occasionally come down to check what to eat.

    There are other areas such as Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Limoncocha, which provide safe areas for wildlife.

    These areas help protect the Amazon and are wonderful places to visit.
    The following video was filmed in Yasuni National Park and highlights 28 amazing mammal species in this area.

    Mammals in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    In lowland Ecuador, where they have not been hunted, they are the most abundant primate in terms of biomass and number of individuals. In 1997 was recorded a density of more than 31 individuals/km² in the Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.

    Watch on YouTube via Fernando Vaca

    6) There are 7 major cities within the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    The seven cities include:

    • Coca
    • Lago Agrio
    • Tena
    • Puyo
    • Macas
    • Zamora
    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    The last bridge before you reach to the Atlantic Ocean, over 3,500 kilometers away. El Coca. Orellana. Ecuador

    The population in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest is over 739,000, including the cities and six provinces found within the rainforest. There are still large areas in the Amazon Jungle in Ecuador that are uninhabited.

    7) There are 9 indigenous cultures in the Amazon
    There are 9 indigenous nationalities in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Kichwas, Shuar, Achuar, Shiwiar, Cofán, Siona, Secoya, Zápara, Andoa, and Waorani.

    Some of them welcome tourists which is wonderful for family cultural experiences in Ecuador.
    Visiting the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Amazon Birding in Ecuador

    Two tribes (the Tagaeri and Taromenane) who live within the Yasuni National Park choose to live in isolation.
    8) The climate is the same year-round
    The climate in the Ecuador Amazon is pretty much the same year-round, warm and rainy.
    Animals in the Ecuadorian Amazon

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Yellow-billed Jacamar sits and waits for food to fly by, most of the time can be seen at eye level.


    The temperature averages around 28°C (82°F) in the daytime and drops to around 17°C (62°F) at night.

    From February to May it experiences the highest rainfall while July through August are the drier months.
    The Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador usually receives around 3500 mm of rain every year, so even during the drier months, heavy rainfall can happen at any time.

    9) The Amazon River was discovered in Ecuador
    The Amazon River was discovered by a Spanish expedition started in Quito in 1541 by an explorer and conquistador named Francisco de Orellana.

    He discovered the river in 1542 and initially named it Rio de Orellana.

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Francisco de Orellana discovers the Amazon River by accident while searching for El Dorado.

    Travel to the Amazon in Ecuador

    As he explored he battled with a tribe of Tapuyas. The women of that tribe fought alongside the men. He later named the river after the Amazons – a tribe of women warriors in Greek mythology.

    10) The Amazon in Ecuador is threatened. There is a lot of oil (around 800 million barrels) under the Ecuadorian Rainforest.

    Extracting it puts the Amazon at risk, including the plants, animals, and way of life for the people that live there.

    Deforestation and illegal logging also threaten the area.

    Amazon Jungle in Ecuador

    Efforts are underway to protect the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador.

    Will You Visit the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador?
    The Amazon is an exciting place to visit. Are you planning a trip?

    Have you already visited Amazon?

    Please share your thoughts by commenting on this post.

    10 Amazing Facts About the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador
    Best Ecuador Wildlife Canoe Trips.
    We run all the Rivers in Ecuador.

     

  • Yasuni Wildlife: Amazon Tapir

    Yasuni Wildlife: Amazon Tapir

    Yasuni Wildlife: Amazon Tapir

    The Yasuni Wildlife is one of the most diverse on the planet, in the Yasuni Life has diversified into millions of ways, a nature explorer mind would get excited at any direction!

    Sumaco Ñahui wants everyone gets involved! We want to start planting trees by May 2018. In order to get the project running, we have a fundraising program: a Conservation Timesharing program. Join Us!
    Sumaco Ñahui is a Cloud Forest Restoration Dream to restore a deforested area next to Sumaco National Park & Antisana Ecological Reserve.

    Shiripuno Amazon Lodge enjoy the remoteness of the Yasuni, with a set of trap cameras is able capture special moments of Amazonian Wildlife.

    The Amazon Tapir is the largest mammal living in the vast Rainforest of the Yasuni.

    The Amazon Tapirs are active mostly at nights, although some daytime encounters shows they wonder in the day as well.

    The Amazon Tapir have forest trail on which they feeds on fresh and young leaves, they also eats a great deal of fruits specially figs.

    The Amazon Tapir are excellents swimmers, sometimes seen crossing the Shiripuno River early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

    English Name: Lowlands or Brazilian Tapir

    Waorani Name: Tite

    Kichwa Name: Sacha Wagra

    Scientific Name:  Tapirus terrestris

    Body length

    The body length of a tapir 1.8 to 2.5 m (5.9 to 8.2 ft) with a 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) short stubby tail and an average weight around 225 kg (496 lb).

    Body Weight

    The body weight of a tapir, on adult weight has been reported ranging from 150 to 320 kg (330 to 710 lb).

    Body Height

    The body height of a tapir stands somewhere between 77 to 108 cm (30 to 43 in) at the shoulder.

    The Lowland Tapir is the largest surviving native terrestrial mammal in the Amazon. it closest relatives are horses, donkeys, zebras and rhinoceroses.

    The frequently visit Forest Clay Licks to drink water rich in minerals that possible could help with plant based diet.

    One of the coolest features is the Proboscis: a highly flexible organ, able to move in all directions, allowing the animals to grab foliage that would otherwise be out of reach. Tapirs often exhibit the flehmen response, a posture in which they raise their snouts and show their teeth to detect scents.

    Shiripuno Research Center is carrying out a several small project to monitoring wildlife  and measure the impact of human activity in pristine forest.

    The Yasuni Trap Camera Project is creating the baseline of wildlife activity along the trail net work and forest clay licks.

  • The Monkeys of the Rainforest

    The Monkeys of the Rainforest

    The Monkeys of the Rainforest

    Noisy Night Monkey. Yasuni Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador

    The Monkeys of the Rainforest are the most diverse group of mammals moving throughout the Amazon Basin.

    Sumaco Ñahui wants everyone gets involved! We want to start planting trees by May 2018. In order to get the project running, we have a fundraising program: a Conservation Timesharing program. Join Us!
    Sumaco Ñahui is a Cloud Forest Restoration Dream to restore a deforested area next to Sumaco National Park & Antisana Ecological Reserve.

    Most of them spend their lifetime in the dense canopy covering all kind of habitats monkeys find a way to survive and diversify, many have a prehensile tail, one of the most interesting feature Nature has come out to fix the the challenge of reaching the edge of the trees in the canopy.

    Humboldt’s Woolly Monkey. Yasuni Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador. Photo By Randi Vickers

    The Monkey of the Rainforest are a very important creatures of the forest, in many ways for example: some species feeds on fruits in the forest, they do best dispersing the genes of of thousands of trees and lianas, Other species feeds eats a little bite of everything and they do the best insect control for many species of tree and lianas.

    Napo Saky Monkey . Yasuni Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador. Photo By Randi Vickers

    Many species of Amazon Rainforest Monkeys covers a lot of area in their outing everyday, for fruits, flowers, invertebrates and forest clay licks. The Red Howler (Alouatta seniculus) and the White-bellied Spider Monkey (Ateles belzebuth) come down to forest clay licks to eat clay and drink the water if it is present.

    Napo Saky Monkey. Yasuni Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador. Photo By Randi Vickers

    The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador is the largest tract of Tropical Rainforest in the Western Amazon Basin, one of the most biologically diverse on the planet. Within the forest of the Yasuní is located Shiripuno Amazon Lodge where lives 9 species of monkeys, all of them sharing the forest resources in at this unique area.
    Here is a list of the Monkeys you can find while visiting the Shiripuno Amazon Lodge found in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve.

    Callitrichidae Familia
    1. Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea)

    Cebidae Familia
    1. Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus aequatorialis)
    2. Ecuadorian Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri cassiquiarensis)

    Aotidae Familia
    1. Aotus vociferans Mono nocturno vociferante Noisy Night Monkey

    Pitheciidae Familia
    1. Red-crowned Titi (Plecturocebus discolor)
    2. Napo Saki (Pithecia napensis)

    Familia Atelidae
    1. Colombian Red Howler (Alouatta seniculus)
    2. White-bellied Spider Monkey (Ateles belzebuth)
    3. Humboldt’s Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix lagothricha)

  • Ecuador Global Big Day

    Ecuador Global Big Day

    Ecuador Global Big Day

    The Ecuador Global Big Day is Huge Birding tradition among birders, birdwatchers and nature lovers.

    Ecuador Global Big Day
    Ecuador Global Big Day

    The Global Big Day organized by the Cornell University and Ebird which seeks to find and watch the largest number of birds in a single day worldwide, and raise awareness about the conservation of natural habitats for birds, no matter where they are! Every bird counts!

    Come and join us in one of the most important days for birding community!!

    How does Ecuador Global Big Day work?

    • Upload your findings on Ebird
    • Organize field trips for the local school, community
    • Meet your friends and go
    • Go to your favorite birding spot

    Here are some of the destinations available for this birding event, many locations of Ecuador’s Christmas Bird Count below:

    Baby Rufous Potoo
    Baby Rufous Potoo
    • Northwestern Choco – Mindo
    • Eastern Cloudforest – Cosanga
    • Amazon Lowlands – Coca Yasuní
    • Northern Ecuador – Chical
    • Southern Ecuador – Macas

    Check below in the map other locations to go birding in May.

    Join us on our Ecuador Big Day!

  • Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest

    Introduction to the Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest.

    When we visit the Rainforest for the first time, the familiar Plants will blow our minds away in many ways, the amount of different Plants living in here is overwhelming.

    As we go deep in our journey, we start picking up the regular plants around us by looking at their natural characteristics such as leaf shapes, leaves arrangments, flowers, and fruits.

    Many of the stereotype plants have adapted to live in different habitats such as terra firme, várzea, oxbow lakes, and landslides, and in all the forest strata are present.

    The well-established plants of the Amazon Rainforest are popular for many species of animals, just think about Cecropia Tree, it brings several species of Monkeys, Bats, Birds, Ants, Butterflies, Sloths, and Kinkajou just to list a few!

    We have prepared a small collection of the most common genera of plants you will find useful while you explore the Diversity of Life in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and Yasuni Biosphere Reserve.

    Check the list of the Common  and Conspicuous Plants of the Rainforest below:

    ACANTHACEAE

    Aphelandra

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Aphelandra ACANTHACEAE
    Aphelandra flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. ACANTHACEAE

    Aphelandra is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas.

    They are evergreen shrubs growing to 1–2 m tall, with opposite, simple leaves 5–30 cm long, often with white veins.

    The flowers are produced in dense spikes, with brightly colored bracts. Several species are grown as houseplants for their patterned leaves and brightly colored inflorescences.

    ARACEAE

    Philodendron

    Philodendron is one of the largest genera in the Araceae family. It has an extremely diverse array of growth methods.

    The habits of growth can be epiphytic, hemiepiphytic, or rarely terrestrially. The leaves are usually large and imposing, often lobed or deeply cut, and may be more or less pinnate.

    They can also be oval, spear-shaped, or in many other possible shape variations.

    The leaves are borne alternately on the stem; juvenile leaves and adult leaves can be drastically different from one another.

    When philodendrons are ready to reproduce, they will produce an inflorescence that consists of a leaf-like hood called a spathe within which is enclosed a tube-like structure called a spadix. Birds eat their fruits

    The name derives from the Greek words Philo- or “love, affection” and dendron, or “tree”.

    Anthurium

    Anthurium is a genus in the Araceae family often growing as epiphytes on other plants. Some are terrestrial. The leaves are often clustered and are variable in shape.

    The inflorescence bears small flowers which are perfect, containing male and female structures. The flowers are contained in dense spirals on the spadix.

    The spadix is often elongated into a spike shape, but it can be globe-shaped or club-shaped. Beneath the spadix is the spathe, a type of bract.

    This is variable in shape, as well, but it is lance-shaped in many species. It may extend out flat or in a curve. Sometimes it covers the spadix like a hood.

    The fruits develop from the flowers on the spadix. They are juicy berries varying in color, usually containing two seeds.

    Anthurium can be poisonous due to calcium oxalate crystals. The sap is irritating to the skin and eyes. Birds such as Euphonias, Tanagers, and Manakins eat their fruits

    BEGONIACEAE

    Begonia

    Wildflower of Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest.
    Begonia grows in tree trunks

    Begonia are terrestrial (sometimes epiphytic) herbs or shrubs, and occur in subtropical and tropical moist climates, in South and Central America, Africa, and southern Asia.

    They are commonly upright-stemmed, rhizomatous, or tuberous. begonia are monoecious, with unisexual male and female flowers occurring separately on the same plant; the male contains numerous stamens, and the female has a large inferior ovary and two to four branched or twisted stigmas.

    In most species, the fruit is a winged capsule containing numerous minute seeds, although baccate fruits are also known.

    The leaves, which are often large and variously marked or variegated, are usually asymmetric (unequal-sided).

    CAMPANULACEAE

    Centropogon

    Centropogon CAMPANULACEAE
    Centropogon
    CAMPANULACEAE
    Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Centropogon CAMPANULACEAE
    Centropogon CAMPANULACEAE

    Centropogon is a neotropical endemic genus of plant in the family Campanulaceae. The hummingbirds compete for the nectar of Centropogon

    COMMELINACEAE

    Dichorisandra

    Dichorisandra is a neotropical genus characterized by its slightly zygomorphic flowers with large anthers usually releasing pollen by means of pores at the apex, as well as by its seeds that are embedded in a red or sometimes white aril, and tubers that often form at the tips of the roots.

    Geogenanthus

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Geogenanthus
    Geogenanthus
    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest
    Geogenanthus

    Geogenanthus is a genus of plants with 3 species in the family Commelinaceae (the spiderwort and dayflower family).

    The genus is distributed from Colombia to Amazonian Peru and Brazil.  Aerial shoots unbranched and determinate in length, up to 0.75 m, with a terminal rosette of leaves. The leaves at lower nodes mere tubular leaf sheaths.

    All plant parts somewhat succulents and grow on the floor of primary rainforests and possess a shallow underground, short, branching rhizome.

    Flowers consist of 3 green-brown sepals, 3 blue, pink or purple petals fringed with moniliform hairs, 4-6 stamens and 3 connate carpels. Its flowers have no fragrance detectable to the human nose.

    COSTACEAE

    Costus

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Costus COSTACEAE
    Costus
    COSTACEAE
    Costus COSTACEAE

    Costus is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants in the family Costaceae, widespread through tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

    Costus is often characterized and distinguished from relatives such as Zingiber (true ginger) by its spiraling stems. The genus as a whole is thus often called spiral gingers,

    FABACEAE

    Abarema

    Abarema is a neotropical genus of large trees in the legume family. They grow from Mexico to Bolivia.

    Most of the species can be found in the Amazon Basin and the Guyana Highlands. They have deep-green fernlike foliage, with bipinnately compound leaves.

    For lack of a better name, they are collectively called abaremas.

    Calliandra

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest. Calliandra.
    Calliandra is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family.

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest. Calliandra.

    Calliandra is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae. It contains about 140 species that are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

    The genus comprises herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs and rarely small trees growing 0.5–6 m tall, with bipinnate leaves.

    The flowers are produced in cylindrical or globose inflorescences and have numerous long slender stamens which give rise to the common names powder-puff, powder puff plant, and fairy duster. These plants flower all year round.

    Brownea

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Brownea Flowers
    Brownea brings all kinds of insects.

    Brownea is a genus of about 30 species in the family Fabaceae. The genus is native to tropical regions of the Americas. The species are shrubs and trees growing to 20 m tall.

    Zygia

    Zygia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the legume family (Fabaceae). They are trees or shrubs, unarmed; Hermaphrodite plants.

    The bipinnate leaves, with a single pair of pinnacles; The petioles are very reduced, and glandular. Inflorescences fascicles of chaplets or cauliflorous spikes; Stamens more than 10, monadelphous.

    The fruit is flat, straight, slightly curved or rolled, membranous or coriaceous, dehiscent or indehiscent; Spherical-flattened or quadrangular seeds, papyraceous test, without aril.

    GESNERIACEAE

    Nautilocalyx

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Nautilocalyx Flower
    Nautilocalyx is visited by bees.

    Nautilocalyx is a genus of plants in the family Gesneriaceae.

    Characterized by an obligate terrestrial habit; leaf blades that are cuneate to attenuate at the base; and funnelform corolla with an oblique limb and reflexed petal lobes with glandular trichomes clustered on the lateral and lower inner surfaces of the throat.

    HELICONIACEAE

    Heliconia

    Heliconia is a Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest
    Heliconia HELICONIACEAE

    Heliconia is a genus of flowering plants in the Heliconiaceae. native to the tropical Americas, but a few are indigenous to certain islands of the western Pacific and Maluku. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions.

    These herbaceous plants range from 0.5 to nearly 4.5 meters (1.5–15 feet) tall depending on the species. The simple leaves of these plants are 15–300 cm (6 in-10 ft). They are characteristically long, oblong, alternate, or growing opposite one another on non-woody petioles often longer than the leaf, often forming large clumps with age.

    Wildflowers of Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Heliconia
    Heliconia
    HELICONIACEAE

    Their flowers are produced on long, erect, or drooping panicles, and consist of brightly colored waxy bracts, with small true flowers peeping out from the bracts.

    The growth habit of heliconias is similar to Canna, Strelitzia, and bananas, to which they are related.

    The flowers can be hues of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens, and are subtended by brightly colored bracts. The plants typically flower during the wet season.

    These bracts protect the flowers; floral shape often limits pollination to a subset of the hummingbirds.

    LECYTHIDACEAE

    Grias

    Fruits of the Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Grias
    Grias LECYTHIDACEAE

    Grias is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae, It is native to northwestern South America, Central America, and Jamaica.
    They are small to medium-sized trees, growing to 5-15 m tall. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, broadly lanceolate, very large, up to 1 m long, with an entire or waved margin. The flowers are creamy white to yellow, with four petals; they are cauliflorous, produced in clusters on the trunk and stouter branches. The fruit is 6-15 cm long, with a fleshy coat; it is edible in several species.

    Gustavia

    Gustavia belongs to the part of the Lecythidaceae that has regular or actinomorphic flowers and is considered basal among the Neotropical genera.

    It is widely distributed along rivers margins throughout Amazonia and in the Guianas and the distribution extends as far into north-eastern Brazil.

    MARANTACEAE

    Calathea

    Calathea MARANTACEAE
    Calathea MARANTACEAE

    Calathea is a genus of plants belonging to the family Marantaceae. There are several dozen species in this genus.

    Native to the tropical Americas;  the large and tough leaves are popular for holding small items and wrapping forest food. many of the species are popular as pot plants due to their decorative leaves and, in some species, colorful inflorescences.

    Calathea foliage is of importance to some herbivores, such as the caterpillars of the Owl Butterfly (Caligo sp). Due to habitat destruction, several species are threatened with extinction.

    Calathea flowers are pollinated mainly by bees and other bugs. Hummingbirds visit the Calathea flowers throughout the forest. Calathea flower bracts come in various shapes – from beehive shape flower bracts to rattlesnake tail shapes.

    MARCGRAVIACEAE

    Marcgravia

    Marcgravia is a genus of plant in the family Marcgraviaceae, native to the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and South America. Marcgravia is also is known as Shingle Vine.

    It’s a fast-growing flowering vine found in moist, humid conditions of the rainforest climbing high on trees. It’s flat-leaved vines grab hold of tree trunks with aerial roots. Once it climbs high enough,

    Marcgravia sends out lateral branches and blooms with pendulous flower clusters which are pollinated by birds and bats.

    MELASTOMATACEAE

    Miconia

    Miconia
    Miconia MELASTOMATACEAE

    Miconia is a genus of flowering plants in the glory bush family, Melastomataceae, native to warm temperate tropical regions of the Americas.

    The species are mostly shrubs and small to medium-sized trees up to 15 m tall. Some species are known by the common name “Johnny Berry”.

    Miconia fruit is a favorite food of many birds. The leaves of some species are eaten by caterpillars of the interesting moth-butterflies (Hedylidae).

    Many species are threatened by habitat destruction in their native range, and some are feared to be on the brink of extinction.

    On the other hand, Miconia. is a contributing factor in the decline and maybe even extinction of other plants: it has become a highly invasive weed on a number of Pacific Islands where it was introduced.

    SIPARUNACEAE

    Siparuna

    Siparuna is a genus of plants belonging to the family Siparunaceae. Dioecious or monoecious sarmentose shrubs, treeless, or trees to 40 m high, aromatic due to abundant quantities of volatile oil in oil cells throughout the plant, sparsely or densely pubescent, found throughout the Neotropic ecozone

    Leaves decussate or in whorls of 3-6, simple, exstipulate, those of a pair occasionally unequal in size, with stellate, lepidote, or simple hairs, the margin variously serrate, dentate, or entire. Inflorescences axillary or cauliflorous, cymose, sometimes fasciculate.

    Fruit consisting of the fleshy receptacle which at maturity splits irregularly to expose (1-) 3-25 small drupelets with a conspicuous red or orange aril (in the neotropical species), the endocarp stony.

    PASSIFLORACEAE

    Passiflora

    Passiflora PASSIFLORACEAE
    Passiflora
    PASSIFLORACEAE

    Passiflora is a genus of the family Passifloraceae.

    Known also as the passion flowers or passion fruits, They are mostly vines, with some being shrubs, and a few species being herbaceous.  

    The family Passifloraceae has a pantropical distribution. Passiflora itself is absent from Africa, where many other members of the family Passifloraceae occur (e.g. the more plesiomorphic Adenia). Most species are found in South America, eastern Asia, southern Asia, and New Guinea.

    The size and structure of flowers of other Passiflora species is optimized for pollination by hummingbirds (especially hermits like Phaethornis), bumble bees, Carpenter bees, wasps or bats, while others are self-pollinating.

    The sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) with its immensely elongated bill has co-evolved with certain passion flowers, such as P. mixta.
    The leaves are used as food plants by the larva of a number of lepidopterans (Heliconius and Agraulis).

    To prevent the butterflies from laying too many eggs on any single plant, some passion flowers bear small colored nubs which resemble the butterflies’ eggs and seem to fool them into believing that more eggs have already been deposited on a plant that actually is the case.

    Also, many Passiflora species produce sweet nutrient-rich liquid from glands on their leaf stems.

    These fluids attract ants which will kill and eat many pests that they happen to find feeding on the passion flowers.

    POACEAE

    Pariana

    Pariana is a genus of the grass family Poaceae tropical American plants in. It is native to South America. Plants can be tall and stout, evergreen, perennial grass with densely leafy culms, usually growing 1 meter tall.

    RUBIACEAE

    Capirona

    Capirona is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. The genus contains only one species,

    A tree can grow up to a height of 30 meters. A canopy tree, which is native to northern South America. It grows white or green flowers between March and April.

    It fruits between July and November, seeds are dispersed by the wind and water. Its wood is used for lumber.

    During the flowering months, it produces an abundance of white, aromatic flowers, which are followed by elongated seed pods with 3-5 seeds inside.  

    Its bark is shed periodically to avoid lichens, fungi, epiphytes, and lianas. Bark has antifungal properties for the skin.

    Faramea

    Faramea is a genus of plants in the family Rubiaceae.

    Plants can be Shrubs or small trees, usually glabrous. Stipules are persistent, connate at the base, spit or arist at the apex. Inflorescence axillary, umbellate, with few flowers. Fruit drupaceous, coriaceous, subglobose; a seed.

    The genus Faramea consists of more than 200 species distributed from Mexico to southern Brazil. In Ecuador there are 20 species best represented in the lowlands; 4 species have been recorded in the Andean forests:

    Palicourea

    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Palicourea
    Coffee cousin brings hummingbirds when flowering
    Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest, Palicourea RUBIACEAE
    Palicourea attracts hummingbirds of several species. RUBIACEAE

    Palicourea is a plant genus in the family Rubiaceae. A wide range of habits from shrubs to small trees distributed widely in the New World tropics.

    Palicourea plants are typically found in the understory and subcanopy of moist to wet tropical forests, from low to high elevations.

    Palicourea flowers have well-developed tubes and are odorless, mostly brightly colored, and assumed to be pollinated by hummingbirds, and their fleshy blue or purple-black fruits are dispersed by birds.

    Nearly all Palicourea species are distylous; this appears to be the ancestral condition for the genus, and it seems to have been lost in at least a few species on Caribbean islands

    In Ecuador, at least 50 species are represented; 28 have been recorded in the Andean forests:

    Psychotria

    Psychotria is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It is one of the largest genera of flowering plants.

    The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus are from low to mid-elevation understorey trees in tropical forests.

    This heterostylous plant is hummingbird-pollinated, though it is visited by other insects such as butterflies, and its small blue fruits are dispersed by birds.

    The presence of alkaloids has led to its common use as a medicinal plant within indigenous populations

    Warszewiczia

    Flowers structure of Warszewiczia plants. RUBIACEAE
    Warszewiczia RUBIACEAE

    Warszewiczia is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. They are primarily tropical Central and South American trees and shrubs.

    The inflorescences show leaf-shaped, bright-colored calycophylls, and expanded foliaceous structures made from floral petaloid with enlarged showy calyx-lobes.

    Their main task is to attract pollinators such as butterflies.  Perhaps the most famous member of the genus is W. coccinea (Chaconia), which is the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago.

    MALVACEAE

    Herrania

    Herrania is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. Small tree. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests; it is fragmented due to colonization, mining, and deforestation

    Clavija

    Clavija is a strange and little-known genus in the Primulaceae from the tropics of the new world.

    It is a palm-like, sparsely branched shrub to about 4 m tall, native to lowland forests in Colombia and Ecuador with long, undivided leaves, thick, waxy, scented flowers that are followed by edible, plum-sized, round, yellow fruits with a sharp taste.

    MALVACEAE

    Apeiba

    Apeiba is a genus of flowering plants in the Malvaceae family. A fast-growing canopy tree in disturbed primary forest and the more open, secondary formations tree that can grow up to 30 meters tall.

    The wood of Apeiba is soft and lightweight and used for rafts, the bark is fibrous and used for making rope.

    The fruits are conspicuous woody-capsules, globose to flattened-globose, and covered with spines or bristles, giving the plant the local name of “monkey’s comb”

    VERBENACEAE

    Vitex

    Vitex is a genus of flowering plants in the family Verbenaceae, a genus of shrubs and trees up to 35m tall. Some species have whitish bark that is characteristically furrowed. Leaves are opposite, usually, compound. The fruit is a drupe.

  • Easy Plants to Remember from the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador

    Easy Plants to Remember from the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador

    Check some of the Easy Plants to Remember from the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador.

    The first time you enter the Amazon Rainforest, you will feel overloaded with Shapes, Colors, Textures, Odors, and Taste from the vast community of plants living in here.

    All trees, lianas, shrubs, epiphytes, and parasites are living in chaotic harmony, you will soon discover that everything in the Rainforest is connected and those connections start revealing in front of your eyes, we call it Wild Learning!

    Easy Plants to Remember from the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador
    Nautilocalyx GESNERIACEAE
    Easy Plants to Remember from the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador
    Heliconia HELICONIACEAE

    The Amazon Rainforest is home to as many as 80,000 plant species from which more than 40,000 species play a critical role in regulating the global climate and sustaining the local water cycle.

    Easy Plants facts from the Yasuni to Remember
    Miconia MELASTOMATACEAE

    The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve is known to be one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

    Check some Easy Plants facts from the Yasuni to Remember

    In just one hectare in Yasuní, there are more tree, shrub, and liana (woody vines) species than anywhere else in the world. Check the numbers.

    In a single hectare of the Yasuni (2.47 acres) 655 species of trees, were found which is equal to the continental US and Canada combined.

    In a research plot of 25 hectares of primary Rainforest of the Yasuni, the number of tree species rises to 1,100.

    Here is a list of the easy plants to recognize when exploring remote villages, or national park while you are visiting the Amazon Rainforest.

    Get familiar with the Common Plants of the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador.

    • Aphelandra ACANTHACEAE)
    • Philodendron (ARACEAE)
    • Anthurium (ARACEAE)
    • Begonia (BEGONIACEAE)
    • Centropogon (CAMPANULACEAE)
    • Dichorisandra (COMMELINACEAE)
    • Geogenanthus (COMMELINACEAE)
    • Costus (COSTACEAE)
    • Abarema (FABACEAE)
    • Calliandra (FABACEAE)
    • Brownea (FABACEAE)
    • Zygia (FABACEAE)
    • Nautilocalyx (GESNERIACEAE)
    • Heliconia (HELICONIACEAE)
    • Grias (LECYTHIDACEAE)
    • Gustavia (LECYTHIDACEAE)
    • Calathea (MARANTACEAE)
    • Marcgravia  (MARCGRAVIACEAE)
    • Miconia (MELASTOMATACEAE)
    • Siparuna (SIPARUNACEAE)
    • Passiflora (PASSIFLORACEAE )
    • Pariana (POACEAE)
    • Capirona (RUBIACEAE)
    • Faramea (RUBIACEAE)
    • Palicourea (RUBIACEAE)
    • Psychotria (RUBIACEAE)
    • Warszewiczia (RUBIACEAE
    • Herrania (MALVACEAE)
    • Clavija (PRIMULACEAE)
    • Apeiba (MALVACEAE)
    • Vitex  (VERBENACEAE)
    Grias
    Grias LECYTHIDACEAE

    Download An illustrated list of Conspicuous Plants plants of the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador.

  • The Yasuni Amphibians and Reptiles in Ecuador

    The Yasuni Amphibians and Reptiles in Ecuador

    The Amazon Rainforest Amphibians & Reptiles: Yasuni Biosphere Reserve.

    Bromeliad Tree Frog - Herping
    Bromeliad Tree Frog are active during the night, it moves in the canopy and occasionally comes down to check what to eat.

    The Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador is home of several hundred species of Amphibians & Reptiles, the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve holds one the highest diversity in this forest creatures.

    Watch Amazon Rainforest Amphibians & Reptiles: Yasuni Biosphere Reserve

    We have created a video to showcase a collection of images and videos of many species found in the Yasuni. Its ten minutes of interesting tree frogs, colorful dart poison frogs, venomous snakes,  many tree snakes and giant anacondas, the odd-shapes turtles and marsupials tree frogs and many species more.

    The Amazon Rainforest is home of these extraordinary group of forest creatures, some of them are active during the day in the forest litter sharing it with other critters, the ground can be a busy place for some, they make a better living up in the canopy in colonies of bromeliads or tree holes can be suitable for some forest rarities.

    Listen to Rainforest Frogs

    Amazon Leaf Frog (Cruziohyla craspedopus)

    The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve has outstanding global conservation significance due to its extraordinary biodiversity and potential to sustain this biodiversity in the long term.

    The Yasuni is the world’s greatest amphibian diversity on a landscape scale is found in the upper Amazon Basin of Ecuador and Peru, and in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil.

    Join our Amazon Herping Week Trip Here