Gracixalus lumarius

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Gracixalus lumarius
Gracixalus lumarius 01.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Genus: Gracixalus
Species:
G. lumarius
Binomial name
Gracixalus lumarius
Rowley et al., 2014 [2]

Gracixalus lumarius, also known as the thorny tree frog or thorny bushfrog, is a species of rhacophorid frog. It is endemic to Vietnam and first known from Mount Ngoc Linh in Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, Kon Tum Province. It has been observed between 1700 and 2160 meters above sea level. [1] [3] [4]

Contents

Appearance

The adult male frog measures 38.9 - 41.6 mm in snout-vent length and the adult female frog about 36.3 mm. When viewed from above, the head is wider than it is long and the snout is rounded. When viewed from the side, the lower jaw appears shorter than the upper, giving the frog the appearance of an underbite. The nostrils protrude slightly, and the supratympanic fold can be difficult to see. The frog has robust forelegs with large climbing disks on the front toes. The tympanum is not obvious. The male frog has conical, white tubercles on its body. These may become more prominent during the mating season. [4]

Unlike most frogs in Gracixalus, this frog changes color. During the day, the skin of the dorsum is brown and at night it is yellow. There is also bright yellow coloration on the flanks. The ventrum and the throat are pink. The tips of the toes and the webbed skin on the feet are pink-gray in color. The iris of the eye is gold in color. Like other frogs in Gracixalus, it has black reticulations in its irises, but unlike other species, the black lines are even rather than irregular. [4]

Breeding habits

The female frog lays eggs on the inside walls of water-containing plants called phytotelma. The eggs have two layers of jelly on them to protect them. Scientists believe these frogs hatch into free-swimming tadpoles rather than froglets, but such tadpoles have not been observed as of reports from 2015. [4] Scientists believe the frogs are obligate phytotelma breeders. [1]

Habitat and threats

Gracixalus lumarius is an arboreal frog that is associated with relatively undisturbed montane evergreen and bamboo forest at elevations of 1,845–2,160 m (6,053–7,087 ft) above sea level. [1]

This frog is classified as endangered because of its small, threatened range. Humans cut down the forests in the frog's habitat to establish large farms for coffee, tea, rubber, and other cash crops. Mining, particularly gold mining, also damages the habitat. Scientists think that people might also catch the frog to sell as pets because of its color and beauty. [1]

Etymology

Lumarius is the Latin word for "of thorns," here a reference to the frog's distinctive white tubercles. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leptobrachella</i> Genus of amphibians

Leptobrachella is a genus of frogs in the family Megophryidae. Members of Leptobrachella are found throughout Asia including on Borneo and the Natuna Islands. They are sometimes referred to as Borneo frogs, slender-armed frogs, or dwarf litter frogs. The genus contains over 82 species with 25 found in China alone.

<i>Theloderma</i> Genus of amphibians

Theloderma, the bug-eyed frogs, mossy frogs or warty frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, subfamily Rhacophorinae. They are found from northeastern India and southern China, through Southeast Asia, to the Greater Sunda Islands; the highest species richness is in Indochina. Some species, especially T. corticale, are sometimes kept in captivity.

<i>Leptolalax</i> Genus of amphibians

Leptolalax is a genus of frogs in the family Megophryidae. They are sometimes known as Asian toads, metacarpal-tubercled toads, or slender litter frogs, although many species-specific common names do not follow these conventions, and many species do not have common names. They are widely distributed in southeastern and eastern Asia, from southern China and northeastern India to the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. Leptolalax are typically small and have a cryptic colour pattern and no obvious morphological characters useful in systematic studies. Consequently, both molecular genetic analyses and analysis of advertisement calls by male frogs have been important in identifying new species.

<i>Leptobrachella tuberosa</i> Species of frog

Leptobrachella tuberosa, also known as the granular toad, is a species of frog in the family Megophryidae. As currently known, it is endemic to the Central Highlands of Vietnam in Gia Lai, Quảng Nam, and Thừa Thiên–Huế Provinces. Its true range is probably wider as suitable habitat extends further north and east, reaching northeastern Cambodia and southeastern Laos. The specific name tuberosa is derived from the Latin tuberosus, meaning "full of protuberances".

Orixalus ananjevae, the Ananjeva Asian treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae.

Leptolalax croceus is a species of toad in the family Megophryidae. Discovered in the Central Vietnam in 2010, it is endemic to the region as it is only known from its type locality, Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve in Đắk Glei District, Kon Tum Province. However, given the vicinity of the border to Laos it is also likely to be found there. Its belly has light orange color, which is unique among Leptolalax. It is a medium-sized species within its genus: snout-vent length of 16 males was in the range 22–27 mm (0.87–1.06 in). The species was found from evergreen forest at about 1,300 m (4,300 ft) elevation.

<i>Vampyrius</i> Species of amphibian

Vampyrius vampyrus is a medium-sized species of flying frogs endemic to Vietnam. It is found in southern Vietnam, and is not known to be found in other places globally. It Is in the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, and class Amphibia. Along with this, it is in the order Anura, family Rhacophoridae, and it is the only member of the genus Vampyrus. It is also known as the vampire tree frog or the vampire flying frog because of the presence of a pair of fang-like hooks in the mouth of the tadpoles.

Theloderma nebulosum, the misty moss frog, is a species of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to central Vietnam and currently only known from Ngọc Linh Nature Reserve in the Kon Tum Province. Only one female and a series of tadpoles collected in 2009–2010 are known. This species, together with Theloderma palliatum, was described by Australian and Vietnamese scientists in 2011.

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<i>Gracixalus</i> Genus of amphibians

Gracixalus is a genus of shrub frogs from south-eastern Asia.

Gracixalus gracilipes, commonly known as the Chapa bubble-nest frog, black eye-lidded small tree frog, yellow and black-spotted tree frog or slender-legged bush frog, is a species of shrub frog from northern Vietnam, southern China, and northwestern Thailand.

Gracixalus medogensis, also known as the Medog bubble-nest frog or Medog small treefrog, is a species of shrub frog, family Rhacophoridae. As currently known, it is endemic to the Mêdog County in southern Tibet, although its distribution might extend into the adjacent Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India.

Gracixalus nonggangensis is a species of shrub frog found in southern Guangxi, China, and Cao Bang Province in northern Vietnam.

Gracixalus quangi is a species of bush frog endemic to Vietnam, Laos, and China, where it has been observed between 550 and 1300 meters above sea level.

Gracixalus trieng, also known as the Trieng tree frog or Trieng bushfrog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Vietnam and is only known from the area of its type locality, Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve in Đắk Glei District, Kon Tum Province. Mount Ngoc Linh and adjacent peaks form an isolated high-elevation area and the species is unlikely to exist elsewhere.

Gracixalus seesom, also known as the orange bush frog or orange bushfrog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to northwestern Thailand and is known from the Kanchanaburi and Chiang Mai Provinces.

<i>Theloderma pyaukkya</i> Species of frog

Theloderma pyaukkya, the Burmese camouflaged tree frog, Burmese warty tree frog or Burmese bug-eyed frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is native to China and western Myanmar.

Gracixalus tianlinensis, the Tianlin small tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to China's Tianlin County.

<i>Gracixalus yunnanensis</i> Species of frog

Gracixalus yunnanensis, the Yunnan bush frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is native to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and China's Yunnan Province.

<i>Ghatixalus asterops</i> Species of amphibian

Ghatixalus asterops, the Ghat tree frog or starry-eyed Ghat tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Rhacophorinae. It is endemic to India's Western Ghat mountains, specifically the Palani Hills and south of the Palghat Gaps.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2015). "Gracixalus lumarius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T73726400A73726406. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T73726400A73726406.en . Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  2. Rowley, Jodi J.L.; Le, Duong Thi Thuy; Dau, Vinh Quang; Hoang, Huy Duc; Cao, Trung Tien (2014). "A striking new species of phytotelm-breeding tree frog (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from central Vietnam" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3785 (1): 25–37. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3785.1.2. PMID   24872168.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2022). "Gracixalus lumarius Rowley, Le, Dau, Hoang, and Cao, 2014". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001 . Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Nicole Duong (November 2, 2015). Ann T. Chang (ed.). "Gracixalus lumarius Rowley, Le, Dau, Hoang, & Cao, 2014". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved April 9, 2024.