Cornufer cheesmanae

Cornufer cheesmanae
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Ceratobatrachidae
Genus:	Cornufer
Species:	C. cheesmanae
Binomial name
Cornufer cheesmanae (Parker, 1940)
Synonyms [2]
Platymantis cheesmanaeParker, 1940

Cornufer cheesmanae is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to New Guinea and found in the Cyclops Mountains (Papua, Indonesia) and Bewani Mountains (Papua New Guinea). ^[2] The specific name cheesmanae honors Lucy Evelyn Cheesman, an English entomologist, explorer, and curator at London Zoo. ^[3] Common name Cheesman's wrinkled ground frog has been coined for it. ^{[3] [2]}

Description

Cornufer cheesmanae is the smallest species of its genus in New Guinea: adult males can grow to 23 mm (0.9 in) and adult females to 27 mm (1.1 in) in snout–vent length. ^[4] It is morphologically similar to Cornufer wuenscheorum , but is even smaller. The first finger is shorter than second one. The inner metatarsal tubercle is relatively shorter in Cornufer cheesmanae. The male advertisement call consists of a single note, instead of double notes as in Cornufer wuenscheorum. The dominant frequency is about 3300 Hz. Call series can last tens of seconds, during which the emission rate increases. ^[5]

Habitat and conservation

Little is known about this inhabitant of hilly tropical rainforests. ^[1] The type series from the Cyclops Range was collected at 910–1,220 m (3,000–4,000 ft) above sea level, ^{[2] [4]} whereas the Bewani Mountains record is from 210 m (690 ft) above sea level. ^[6] The eggs are laid on the ground and development is direct, without free-living tadpole stage. ^[1]

The threats to Cornufer cheesmanae are unknown. Its range includes Cyclops Mountains Nature Reserve, but fires and illegal removal of vegetation are encroaching on this habitat. ^[1]

References

1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Cornufer cheesmanae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020 e.T58455A151848808. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58455A151848808.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Cornufer cheesmanae (Parker, 1940)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 41. ISBN   978-1-907807-42-8.
4. Zweifel, Richard G. (1969). "Frogs of the genus Platymantis (Ranidae) in New Guinea, with the description of a new species". American Museum Novitates (2374): 1–19. hdl:2246/2584.
5. Günther, R. (2005). "A new species of the frog genus Platymantis from the mountains of Yapen Island, northern Papua Province, Indonesia (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae)" (PDF). Zoologische Abhandlungen. 55: 85–94.
6. Kraus, Fred & Allison, Allen (2006). "Range extensions for reptiles and amphibians along the northern versant of Papua New Guinea" (PDF). Herpetological Review. 37 (3): 364–368.