Kurixalus wangi

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Kurixalus wangi
Kurixalus wangi holotype male.jpg
Holotype, an adult male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Genus: Kurixalus
Species:
K. wangi
Binomial name
Kurixalus wangi
Wu, Huang, Tsai, Li, Jhang, and Wu, 2016 [2]

Kurixalus wangi is a species of tree frog in the family Rhacophoridae. [1] [3] [4] It is endemic to Taiwan and occurs in the southernmost part of the island. [1] [3] Prior to its description in 2016, it was confused with Kurixalus eiffingeri . [2] [3] The specific name wangi honors Wang Ching-Shong, a pioneering herpetologist from Taiwan. [2]

Taxonomy and systematics

Kurixalus wangi was described in 2016. It resembles Kurixalus eiffingeri but displays some morphological differences and a different reproductive season. Furthermore, molecular data and male advertisement call differentiate it from Kurixalus eiffingeri and Kurixalus berylliniris , its sister species. Together these three species form a lineage that is clearly separate from Kurixalus idiootocus , the fourth Kurixalus species in Taiwan. [2]

Description

Adult males measure 29–32 mm (1.1–1.3 in) and adult females 31–37 mm (1.2–1.5 in) in snout–vent length. The overall appearance is slender with flat body. The head is wider than it is long. The snout is subovoid with pointed tip in dorsal view and acuminate and slightly protruding in profile. The canthus rostralis is distinct and rounded. The tympanum is distinct, less than half of the eye diameter, with its upper margin covered by the supratympanic fold. The limbs are moderately robust. The finger and toe tips are expanded into discs. The fingers have a trace of webbing and the toes are moderately webbed. Dorsal skin is shagreened, ventral skin is slightly granular. The dorsal coloration varies from light brown with distinctly dark markings (including a dark X-like marking) to almost uniformly light green. The iris is golden-yellow. [2]

Distribution

This species occurs in southernmost Taiwan in Pingtung County. [1] [2]

Habitat and conservation

Kurixalus wangi occurs in the shrubs of secondary forests and lowland broad-leaved forests at elevations below 500 m (1,600 ft). Eggs have been found in small pools in tree hollows and man-made structures (discarded plastic cups and plastic pipes), either above the water or submerged. The tadpoles are oophagous. [2]

Information on this species is limited, but it may be somewhat common. There are no known threats to it. Habitat loss and degradation, and any action reducing the number of tree holes, are potential threats. However, rates of deforestation have declined in Taiwan. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Kurixalus</i> Genus of amphibians

Kurixalus is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. The taxonomy of small rhacophids is difficult and has been subject to many revisions, but molecular genetic data do support monophyly of Kurixalus. These frogs are distributed from Himalayan front ranges of eastern India southward and eastward to Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China, Taiwan, and the Ryukyu Islands.

<i>Sarcohyla bistincta</i> Species of frog

Sarcohyla bistincta, also known as the Mexican fringe-limbed treefrog or Cope's streamside treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Mexico; it is widespread and occurs from southern Sinaloa and Durango southeastward to Veracruz and Oaxaca. The nominal Sarcohyla bistincta consists of several lineages that may eventually be described as distinct species.

Odorrana junlianensis, also known as the Junlian odorous frog, is a species of frogs in the family Ranidae. It is found in southern China and in the northernmost Laos and Vietnam. Its type locality is the eponymous Junlian County in Sichuan.

<i>Kurixalus eiffingeri</i> Species of frog

Kurixalus eiffingeri, commonly known as Eiffinger's tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in Taiwan and on the Yaeyama Islands of Japan. Its natural habitats are broadleaf forests, bamboo forests, and mixed bamboo forests between 50 and 2000 meters above sea level. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<i>Kurixalus idiootocus</i> Species of amphibian

Kurixalus idiootocus is a small species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Taiwan and is commonly known as the temple tree frog. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes and irrigated land. It is listed as being of "Least Concern" by the IUCN although there may be some destruction of its habitat.

<i>Nyctixalus pictus</i> Species of amphibian

Nyctixalus pictus, also known as cinnamon frog, cinnamon treefrog, cinnamon bush frog, painted Indonesian treefrog, and white-spotted treefrog, etc., is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, and parts of the Greater Sunda Islands.

<i>Kurixalus naso</i> Species of amphibian

Kurixalus naso, also known as uphill tree frog, long-snouted treefrog, and Annandale's high altitude frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in northeastern India, southern Tibet, and Bhutan. A related but unnamed species is found in Myanmar and Yunnan (China). Furthermore, it is possible that Kurixalus yangi is a junior synonym of Kurixalus naso.

<i>Polypedates otilophus</i> Species of amphibian

Polypedates otilophus is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Borneo where it is widespread and found in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, typically in the lowlands but sometimes as high as 1,100 m (3,600 ft) above sea level. This species has prominent, sharp ridges behind the eye, above the ear, referred to in its names.

Zhangixalus achantharrhena is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Sumatra (Indonesia) and known from a number of high-elevation localities ranging from Aceh in the northwest to Lampung in the southeast. The specific name achantharrhena, from the Greek nouns akantha and arrhen (=male), refers to a characteristic of males of this species: skin covered by tiny spicules.

Kurixalus baliogaster, also known as the belly-spotted frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and the Annamite Mountains of adjacent Laos. Its range probably extends into eastern Cambodia where suitable habitat should be present. The specific name baliogaster is derived from the Greek words balios and gaster, meaning "spotted or dappled belly".

<i>Kurixalus bisacculus</i> Species of amphibian

Kurixalus bisacculus is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in Southeast Asia and southern China. Because of confusion with other species, the distribution is not well mapped but includes Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and China. Populations from Hainan were formerly treated as a separate species, Rhacophorus hainanus, but molecular data suggest they are conspecific with Kurixalus bisacculus.

<i>Rhacophorus lateralis</i> Species of amphibian

Rhacophorus lateralis is a rhacophorid tree frog endemic to the Western Ghats in South India. It has several common names: small tree frog, Boulenger's tree frog, small gliding frog, and winged gliding frog. After its original description in 1883 by George Albert Boulenger, the frog was rediscovered in Coorg in 2000 and has since been found in many parts of the Western Ghats around southern Karnataka and northern Kerala. Along with R. malabaricus, it is one of the few anuran amphibians in India that constructs its nest above the ground using leaves.

<i>Rhacophorus margaritifer</i> Species of frog

Rhacophorus margaritifer, also known as the Java flying frog or Javan tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Java, Indonesia. It is known from several areas in Java. It is locally known as katak-parasut jawa.

Theloderma palliatum is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Vietnam and so far only known from the Bidoup Núi Bà and Chư Yang Sin National Parks. This species, together with Theloderma nebulosum, was first found by Australian and Vietnamese scientists in Tay Nguyen in 2011.

<i>Rhacophorus borneensis</i> Species of frog

Rhacophorus borneensis is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. This recently (2013) described species is endemic to Malaysian Borneo where it is known from its type locality in the Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sandakan Division, Sabah as well as from the Batang Ai National Park, Sarawak. Prior to its description, it was included in Rhacophorus reinwardtii. It is said to be "one of the prettiest frogs of Borneo". Common name Borneo flying frog has been coined for it.

<i>Buergeria otai</i> Species of amphibian

Buergeria otai is a species of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Taiwan and found in the eastern and southern parts of the island. Buergeria choui, with whom Buergeria otai was confused before described as a distinct species in 2017, occurs in northwestern Taiwan. The two species have only a narrow contact zone and can be distinguished based on genetic markers, calls, and morphology.

<i>Kurixalus berylliniris</i> Species of amphibian

Kurixalus berylliniris is a species of tree frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Taiwan and occurs in the eastern part of the island at moderate elevations. Before its description in 2016, it was confused with Kurixalus eiffingeri. The specific name berylliniris combines the Latin words beryllin and iris, in reference to the green iris of this frog.

Kurixalus absconditus is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to West Kalimantan, in the Indonesian part of Borneo near the village of Piasak; it is likely to occur more widely. The specific name absconditus is Latin for "disguised", "concealed", or "hidden", and refers to this species remaining "undetected" within the Kurixalus appendiculatus group. Common name Piasak-frilled swamp treefrog, also spelled Piasak frilled swamp tree frog, has been coined for it.

<i>Kurixalus lenquanensis</i> Species of frog

Kurixalus lenquanensis is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to southeastern Yunnan, China, and is only known from Mengzi and Gejiu, in the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Its type locality is the eponymous Lenquan Village in Mengzi. Its closest known relative is Kurixalus idiootocus from Taiwan.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2022). "Kurixalus wangi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T186873063A186873332. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T186873063A186873332.en . Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wu, Shu-Ping; Huang, Chuan-Chin; Tsai, Chi-Li; Lin, Te-En; Jhang, Jhih-Jia & Wu, Sheng-Hai (2016). "Systematic revision of the Taiwanese genus Kurixalus members with a description of two new endemic species (Anura, Rhacophoridae)". ZooKeys (557): 121–153. Bibcode:2016ZooK..557..121W. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.557.6131 . PMC   4740841 . PMID   26877703.
  3. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2024). "Kurixalus wangi Wu, Huang, Tsai, Li, Jhang, and Wu, 2016". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.2. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  4. Cheng, Wei. "Kurixalus wangi Wu, Huang, Tsai, Li, Jhang & Wu, 2016". Catalogue of life in Taiwan. Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Retrieved 6 February 2024.