Conscious Stream Frog

Hyloscirtus conscientia is a small, slender species of frog, with adult males having a snout–vent length of 29.6–33.3 mm and adult females having a snout–vent length of 34.7–40 mm. It displays a wide range of dorsal color variation, with several patterns. The upper side of the head and body varies from predominantly yellowish white with scattered little brown spots to an extremely pigmented dark brown pattern in a yellowish matrix. Some individuals also exhibit a mid-dorsal line and interorbital lines composed of dense brown melanophores. The intensity and density of these melanophores is highly variable. The supratympanic fold is white or pale light green. A light lemon-green morph has small brown points scattered on the dorsum, with the coloration becoming paler on the flanks and limbs with scattered little brown spots. The underside is predominantly white, except for the limbs, which have whitish-yellow undersides. The iris varies in color from silver to bronze, light brown, or whitish gray with black thin reticulations along the margin of the eye. The frog can probably become darker or lighter, a form of crypsis used for camouflage. Males have a white to light green vocal sac.

Vocalizations. The species' call consists of a series of five or six notes, with each note having 2–4 pulses. The call is 470–655 ms long. …

Hyloscirtus conscientia is known only from the Dracula Reserve conservation area and the Dracula Youth Reserve. Both reserves are located on the western slopes of the Andes, in Carchi Province at an altitude between 1,495 and 1,750 m. The species is restricted to humid montane forest in the San Juan River drainage, in the Mira basin. The known range of the species is only a few kilometers from the Colombian border; thus, it is likely that H. conscientia is also present in Colombia.

Tadpoles, metamorphs, and juveniles were found in August, April, and November), suggesting breeding seasons throughout the year. This may be a consequence of the constant high humidity and rainfall in the Chocó bioregion.