Aphantophryne minuta

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Aphantophryne minuta
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Microhylidae
Genus: Aphantophryne
Species:
A. minuta
Binomial name
Aphantophryne minuta
Zweifel and Parker, 1989 [2]
Papua New Guinea relief map.svg
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Aphantophryne minuta is only known from near the Myola Guest House in eastern Papua New Guinea

Aphantophryne minuta is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and is known from its type locality near Myola Guest House in the Owen Stanley Range, Northern Province, [1] [3] from another locality in the same province, Mount Tafa; only a single specimen is known from each locality. [1] The specific name minuta refers to the very small size of this species. [2] Common name Myola Guinea frog has been coined for it. [3]

Contents

Description

Aphantophryne minuta was described based on a single adult female, the holotype, measuring 12 mm (0.5 in) in snout–vent length. It is very similar to Aphantophryne sabini but much smaller (mature A. sabini females measure 19–24 mm (0.7–0.9 in) in snout–vent length). The snout is short and rounded. The tympanum is small and only partially visible. The fingers and toes have rounded tips and no webbing. The hind legs are short. The dorsum is warty, including the scapular folds that continue backward as rows of warts. The preserved specimen is dorsally dark brown between the wart rows and has paler brown flanks. The venter is dirty white. The specimen was carrying two ova. [2]

Habitat and conservation

The holotype was found under a small, decayed log lying in leaf litter on a rainforested ridge at 2,700 m (8,900 ft) above sea level. [1] [2] The Mount Tafa specimen is from 2,400 m (7,900 ft). Breeding is presumably by direct development [1] (i.e, there is no free-living larval stage [4] ).

This species has no known threats and occurs in an area with very little human impact. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Aphantophryne</i> Genus of amphibians

Aphantophryne is a genus of microhylid frogs found in New Guinea and in Mindanao, the Philippines. Originally described by Fry in 1917, Richard G. Zweifel considered in 1956 Aphantophryne synonymous to Cophixalus. The genus was resurrected in 1989 to house two new species in addition to the type species, A. pansa. A molecular study on the subfamily Asterophryinae in 2017 revealed that two species originally included in the genus Oreophryne were more closely related to Aphantophryne than to other Oreophryne, and were consequently moved to this genus. The study also revealed a number of undescribed species.

Nyctimystes fluviatilis, also known as the Indonesian big-eyed tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Pelodryadidae, also treated as the subfamily Pelodryadinae in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to New Guinea and is known from Idenburg River and Wapoga River in Papua province, Indonesia, and from the Torricelli Mountains in the East Sepik Province and Kavorabip in the Western Province, both in the western Papua New Guinea.

Nyctimystes perimetri, also known as the archipelago big-eyed treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Pelodryadidae, also treated as the subfamily Pelodryadinae in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and currently only known from the Louisiade Archipelago, although it might also occur in the Owen Stanley Range of the mainland Papua New Guinea. It has also been suggested that the Rossel Island population might represent a distinct species.

Nyctimystes persimilis, also known as the Milne big-eyed treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Pelodryadidae, also treated as the subfamily Pelodryadinae in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and known from Mount Dayman and Mount Simpson in the Owen Stanley Range.

Nyctimystes tyleri is a species of frog in the family Pelodryadidae, or alternatively, subfamily Pelodryadinae in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and only known from its type locality, Gapaia Creek, between Garaina and Saureli, in the Morobe Province. The specific name honours Michael J. Tyler, an Australian herpetologist, "in recognition of his notable contributions to the systematics of Australo-papuan frogs." Common name Tyler's big-eyed treefrog has been coined for this species.

Choerophryne valkuriarum is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to the eastern New Guinea in Papua New Guinea and is known from near Wau in the Ekuti Dividing Range south to Myola in the Owen Stanley Range. The nominal species might consist of more than one distinct species.

Aphantophryne sabini is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and is only known from the region of its type locality, Myola Guest House in the Owen Stanley Range, Northern Province. The specific name sabini honors Andrew E. Sabin, an American businessman, philanthropist, and environmentalist who joined the expedition during which the holotype of this species was collected. However, its vernacular name Guest House Guinea frog refers to the type locality instead.

Austrochaperina aquilonia is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to the Sandaun Province, north-western Papua New Guinea. It is only known from two nearby locations in the Torricelli Mountains: Mount Somoro and from the village of Wilbeite. The specific name aquilonia is a Latin adjective meaning "northern" and refers to the range of this species in the north coast mountains of New Guinea.

Austrochaperina brevipes is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and known only from two localities, Mount Victoria and Myola Guest House in the Owen Stanley Range. Common name Victoria land frog has been suggested for it.

Austrochaperina kosarek is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to New Guinea and only known from its type locality, Kosarek, in West Papua (Indonesia). It is only known from one specimen collected in 1979. It has not been well-studied but it might be widespread in suitable habitat.

<i>Barygenys atra</i> Species of frog

Barygenys atra is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to eastern New Guinea and is known from the Morobe and Northern Provinces, Papua New Guinea. Common name Gunther's Papua frog has been proposed for it.

Barygenys cheesmanae is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to eastern New Guinea and is only known from Mount Tafa in Central Province, Papua New Guinea. The specific name cheesmanae honors Lucy Evelyn Cheesman, an English entomologist, explorer, curator at London Zoo, and collector of the holotype. Common name Cheesman's Papua frog has been coined for this species.

Barygenys nana is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to New Guinea and is known from the mountains of Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces, Papua New Guinea. The specific name nana refers to the small size of this species. Common name highland Papua frog has been proposed for it.

<i>Cophixalus parkeri</i> Species of frog

Cophixalus parkeri is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea where it occurs in the central mountainous region between Chimbu and Morobe Provinces. The specific name parkeri presumably honours Hampton Wildman Parker, an English zoologist and herpetologist to whose perusal Arthur Loveridge sent the holotype. Common name Papua rainforest frog has been coined for it.

<i>Cophixalus shellyi</i> Species of frog

Cophixalus shellyi is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and occurs in the New Guinea Highlands as well as in the Adelbert Range and on the Huon Peninsula. The specific name shellyi honors Father Otto Schellenberger ("Shelly"), an American missionary and former professor in mathematics who collected the type series.

Cophixalus tagulensis is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and only known from the Tagula Island in the Louisiade Archipelago, east of New Guinea. It is only known from the type series of three specimens collected in 1956.

Cophixalus verecundus is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to New Guinea in Papua New Guinea, where it is only known around Mt. Bellamy in Owen Stanley Mountains though it may more widely distributed.

Cornufer gilliardi, commonly known as Gilliard's wrinkled ground frog, is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to the Whiteman Ranges of New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago. The specific name gilliardi honors Ernest Thomas Gilliard, an American ornithologist who, together with Margaret Gilliard, collected the holotype.

Cornufer macrosceles is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea. It is only known from the Nakanai Mountains in the central part of the island. Only three specimens are known. Common name Ti wrinkled ground frog has been coined for the species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Aphantophryne minuta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T57678A149549356. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T57678A149549356.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Zweifel, R.G. & Parker, F. (1989). "New species of microhylid frogs from the Owen Stanley Mountains of Papua New Guinea and resurrection of the genus Aphantophryne". American Museum Novitates (2954): 1–20. hdl:2246/5109.
  3. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Aphantophryne minuta Zweifel and Parker, 1989". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  4. ↑ Vitt, Laurie J. & Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. p. 166.
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