The Lesser Brown Treefrog occurs from central Panama into South America the species is widespread throughout the Amazon Basin, on the Guianan Shield and on Trinidad and Tobago. Introduced populations occur in Puerto Rico, Martinique and Saint Lucia. This is a medium sized, nocturnal frog that uses a variety of habitats, from open environments to moist forests. While Scinax ruber is a considered a weed species by some, using disturbed habitats, it is likely a species complex. On Trinidad and Tobago it uses roadside habitats with shallow water, grasses, and urban habitats with standing water. The males turn yellow when they call and are very difficult to locate.