SPECIES: Agalychnis callidryas

MY EYES HAVE THE PERFECT CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY

The glowing red eyes of Agalychnis callidryas are yet another of nature’s true strokes of genius: This striking coloration deters potential predators from pursuing the defenseless jungle dweller. The message ( which in no way corresponds with the truth): Watch out— I am poisonous! And lest prey animals espy these luminous orbs and take flight, Mother Nature has dipped into her bag of tricks yet again: In addition to the conventional eyelid, each eye has a thin membrane that conceals the distinctive red color of the eyes but permits enough visibility for the animal to attack its prey. It’s a perfect camouflage that Agalychnis callidryas could not live without, especially since it’s severely nearsighted and can only see sharply for a distance of 15 centimeters. And that’s only when it turns its head in the direction of the object, because its eyes are fi xed in place.