| Peltophryne guentheri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Peltophryne |
| Species: | P. guentheri |
| Binomial name | |
| Peltophryne guentheri (Cochran, 1941) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Peltophryne guentheri, the southern crested toad or Gunther's Caribbean toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Hispaniola and found in the lowlands of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. [2]
Males grow to 74 mm (2.9 in) and females to 101 mm (4.0 in) in snout–vent length. [3] The dorsum has a yellowish tan ground color and is heavily overlaid with a very dark brown to black reticulated pattern. [4]
Natural habitats of Peltophryne guentheri are dry lowland valleys in both mesic and xeric areas. [1] These frogs have been observed to sit on or near piles of cattle manure. They appear to use a sit-and-wait foraging strategy to catch insects on the manure. [3]
Breeding takes place in temporary pools, [1] including a rainwater-filled roadside ditch. [3] Breeding is triggered by heavy rains, and the breeding season corresponds to the Atlantic hurricane season. [3]
It is threatened by habitat loss caused by livestock grazing and selective logging, and by agricultural pollution. [1] All observations of these animals are from degraded habitats [1] [3] where the populations are facing further habitat degradation caused by urban development. A further threat is competition with and predation from introduced cane toads ( Rhinella marina ) and American bullfrogs ( Lithobates catesbeianus ). Males have also been observed attempting to mate with a male Rhinella marina. [3]
