Corythomantis greeningi

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Corythomantis greeningi
Corythomantis greeningi Boulenger, 1896.jpg
Drawing from 1896 species description
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Corythomantis
Species:
C. greeningi
Binomial name
Corythomantis greeningi
Boulenger, 1896
Synonyms
List
    • Corythomantis schubartiMiranda-Ribeiro, 1937
    • Corythomantis schubarthaeLutz, 1968

Corythomantis greeningi, occasionally called Greening's frog, [2] is a venomous [3] frog species in the family Hylidae endemic to eastern Brazil, [4] where it lives in the Caatinga habitat. It is usually situated on vegetation, including in bromeliads, and on rock outcrops. Breeding occurs in temporary streams. Although suffering from habitat loss, it is not considered threatened by the IUCN. [1] The specific name greeningi was in honour of Linnaeus Greening (1855–1927), an English businessman and naturalist known for his work on arachnids, reptiles and amphibians. [5]

Contents

Description

Female Corythomantis greeningi grow to a length of about 87 mm (3.4 in) while males are slightly smaller at 71 mm (2.8 in). The head is narrow, with bony crests behind the eyes and a long flat snout, armed with small spines. The body is slender, the skin being covered with warts. The legs are also slender and the fingers and toes have well-developed adhesive discs at the tip. The general color is light brown or gray, liberally blotched with red or brown patches; females are generally darker in color than males. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Corythomantis greeningi is endemic to northeastern Brazil. Its range extends as far south as the northern part of Minas Gerais state. It inhabits a caatinga ecoregion, a semi-desert vegetation of shrublands and thorn forest. [1] This experiences a short wet season, lasting about three months, and a long hot dry season. [6]

Ecology

With a need to keep its skin moist and as a protection against predators, C. greeningi conceals itself in a tree hollow, a rock crevice, a bromeliad or other suitable location. In the laboratory, a female frog used a test tube for a retreat, sealing off the aperture with its head. In their natural habitat, when the rainy season starts and the creeks and channels run with water, male frogs establish territories near the watercourses and call to attract females. Several hundred eggs are laid by the female, attached to a rock in the watercourse. [2]

This frog has evolved certain adaptations to enable it to live in a semi-arid environment. The head is roughened and flat, and the skin of the head is fused to the skull forming a casque; these features are often associated with phragmotic behaviour, in which an animal defends itself in a burrow by using its own body as a barrier. It has adapted its life cycle and method of reproduction to suit its environment. [7] It also has a tough, impermeable skin which helps limit water loss, and a low basal metabolic rate which limits evaporation through its lungs. [8] Unlike poison dart frogs which merely secrete poison from their skin, this species is equipped with skull spines capable of injecting venom into other animals, or human hands, via headbutting, a tactic it shares with Aparasphenodon brunoi . [9] [10]

The skin secretions contain a number of low-molecular mass steroids and alkaloids. In the laboratory, these produce a powerful nociceptive (painful) effect and cause oedema in mice cells. The secretions also inhibit cell growth in mouse fibroblasts and melanoma cells. In the wild, these provide a useful arsenal of chemical defences against predation. [11]

Status

This frog has a wide range and is a common species with a large total population. The main threats it faces include habitat loss from livestock grazing and crop cultivation, and the occurrence of wildfires. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern", because any decrease in population size is likely to be at too slow a rate to justify classifying it in a more threatened category. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hylidae</span> Family of frogs

Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semiaquatic.

<i>Nyctimantis</i> Genus of amphibians

Nyctimantis is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. The genus is found in south-eastern Brazil as well as in the Orinoco Basin in Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil. These are tree-dwelling species usually hiding in the cisterns of epiphytic bromeliads. The top of the head carries a bony plate which is fused with the skin.

<i>Phyllomedusa bicolor</i> Species of amphibian

Phyllomedusa bicolor, the giant leaf frog, bicolor tree-frog, giant monkey frog, or waxy-monkey treefrog, is a species of leaf frog. It can be found in the Amazon basin of Brazil, Colombia (Amazonas), Bolivia, and Peru, and can also be found in the Guianan Region of Venezuela and the Guianas, and in Cerrado of the state of Maranhão in Brazil.

<i>Rhinella icterica</i> Species of amphibian

Rhinella icterica is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae that is found in northeastern Argentina, southern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay. "Cururu" is its indigenous name and refers to the male advertisement call that is a melodious tremolo. "Cururu toad", without the specifier "yellow", is a common name used for a few other closely related species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruno's casque-headed frog</span> Species of amphibian

Bruno's casque-headed frog is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. Endemic to Brazil, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss. The specific name brunoi was in honour of Dr Bruno Lobo, Professor and Director of the National Museum of Brazil (1915-1923).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polka-dot tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The polka-dot tree frog, also known as the dotted tree frog, is a frog species in the family Hylidae found in much of South America and also in Trinidad and Tobago. It is fairly small with a snout–to–vent length of c. 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in).

<i>Itapotihyla</i> Genus of amphibians

Itapotihyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Itapotihyla langsdorffii, commonly known as the ocellated treefrog. It is found in the Atlantic Forest biome of Brazil, with an isolated population in eastern Paraguay and adjacent Brazil and northeastern Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manaus slender-legged tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Manaus slender-legged tree frog, also known as the giant broad-headed tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, moist savanna, rivers, intermittent freshwater marshes, and canals and ditches. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is also reported to produce bufotenin.

The Hispaniolan yellow tree frog, or common treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae endemic to Hispaniola, where it is found in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The Alagoas heart-tongued frog is a species of frog in the family Hylidae, the tree frogs and allies. It is endemic to Brazil, where it is known from coastal regions in Bahia, Alagoas, and Pernambuco. It has been observed as high as 550 meters above sea level.

<i>Phytotriades</i> Genus of amphibians

Phytotriades is a genus of tree frogs in the family Hylidae. As currently delimited, the genus is monotypic and contains Phytotriades auratus, commonly known as the golden tree frog, bromeliad-dwelling treefrog, El Tucuche golden tree frog, or Trinidad heart-tongued frog.

<i>Scinax boulengeri</i> Species of amphibian

Scinax boulengeri is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and possibly Honduras. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, intermittent freshwater marshes, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas. It has been found as high as 600 meters above sea level.

Bokermann's casque-headed tree frog is a species of frog in the family Hylidae endemic to Brazil. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<i>Xenohyla eugenioi</i> Species of amphibian

Xenohyla eugenioi is a species of tree frog in the Hylidae family native to northeastern Brazil in ecotones between the Atlantic Forest and caatingas. It has been found in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Sergipe, approximately 1,000 km away from the other species in its genus, Xenohyla truncata. Like its relative, this frog spends the day hiding in bromeliads, emerging at night to hunt and forage. This frog has been observed between 128 and 960 meters above sea level.

Xenohyla truncata, the Izecksohn's Brazilian treefrog, is a species of frugivorous tree frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

<i>Gastrotheca guentheri</i> Species of amphibian

Gastrotheca guentheri is a species of frog in the family Hemiphractidae. It is found in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Gastrotheca guentheri is the only known frog with true teeth in both of its jaws, as indicated by the name of the genus it originally typified, Amphignathodon, described by George Albert Boulenger in 1882.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smoky jungle frog</span> Species of amphibian

The smoky jungle frog is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, French Guiana, Perú and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and aquaculture ponds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poisonous amphibian</span> Amphibians that produce poison

Poisonous amphibians are amphibians that produce toxins to defend themselves from predators.

Nyctimantis galeata is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Brazil and only known from its type locality near Morro do Chapéu, Bahia, in the northern part of the Espinhaço Mountains. The specific name galeata is derived from Latin and means "covered with a helmet", in reference to the co-ossified head of this frog.

Osteocephalus sangay, also known as the Sangay casqued tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is found in eastern Ecuador in Morona Santiago province. O. sangay is in the O. buckleyi species group and is closely related to O. cannatellai.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Diva Borges-Najosa, Gabriel Skuk (2004). "Corythomantis greeningi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2004: e.T55303A11286222. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T55303A11286222.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Halliday, Tim (2016). The Book of Frogs: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from Around the World. University of Chicago Press. p. 284. ISBN   978-0-226-18465-4.
  3. ↑ Satherley, Dan (2015). "Biologist discovers venomous frog the hard way". Archived from the original on 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Corythomantis greeningi Boulenger, 1896". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2009). The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals. JHU Press. p. 84. ISBN   978-0-8018-9533-3.
  6. ↑ Lleras, Eduardo. "Caatinga of North-Eastern Brazil". Centres of Plant Diversity. Vol. 3: The Americas. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Jared Carlos; Antoniazzi, Marta Maria; Katchburian, Eduardo; Toledo, Reynaldo Cicero; Freymüller, Edna (1999). "Some aspects of the natural history of the casque-headed tree frog Corythomantis greeningi Boulenger (Hylidae)". Annales des Sciences Naturelles - Zoologie et Biologie Animale. 20 (3): 105–115. doi:10.1016/S0003-4339(00)86975-0.
  8. ↑ Andrade, Denis Vieira; Abe, Augusta Shinya (1997). "Evaporative Water Loss and Oxygen Uptake in Two Casque-Headed Tree Frogs, Apmasphenodon brunei and Corythommtis greeningi (Anura, Hylidae)". Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology. 118 (3): 685–689. doi:10.1016/S0300-9629(96)00481-1. PMID   9406443.
  9. ↑ "Venomous frogs discovered during painful scientific mishap". CBC News. 2015-08-07. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
  10. ↑ Jared, C.; Mailho-Fontana, P. L.; Antoniazzi, M. M.; Mendes, V. A.; Barbaro, K. C.; Rodrigues, M. T.; Brodie, E. D. (2015-08-06). "Venomous Frogs Use Heads as Weapons". Current Biology. 25 (16): 2166–2170. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.06.061 . PMID   26255851.
  11. ↑ Mendes, Vanessa A.; Barbaro, Katia C.; Sciani, Juliana M.; Vassão, Ruth C.; Pimenta, Daniel C.; Jared, Carlos; Antoniazzi, Marta M. (2016). "The cutaneous secretion of the casque-headed tree frog Corythomantis greeningi: Biochemical characterization and some biological effects". Toxicon. 122: 133–141. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.10.004. PMID   27720761.
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