Uperodon nagaoi | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Microhylidae |
Genus: | Uperodon |
Species: | U. nagaoi |
Binomial name | |
Uperodon nagaoi (Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 2001) | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Uperodon nagaoi, also known as the Nagao's pug-snout frog [2] [4] or Nagao's globular frog, [2] [5] is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka and is known from the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Western Provinces. [2] [5] The specific name nagaoi honours Eijiro Nagao, president of Marusan Securities who, through the Nagao Environmental Foundation, has supported research on Sri Lankan amphibians. [4]
Adult males measure 26–30 mm (1.0–1.2 in) [3] [5] and adult females 27–32 mm (1.1–1.3 in) in snout–vent length. [3] The head is wider than it is long. The snout is truncate in dorsal view and rounded in lateral view. The tympanum is not externally visible but a tympanic ridge is present. The fingers have lateral dermal fringes and triangularly dilated tips. The toes have rudimentary webbing and slightly truncate or rounded, enlarged, fleshy and smooth tips. The colouration is dark brown. There are yellow spots near the eyes and on the upper lip. Reddish-orange patches are present on the snout, sides of the dorsum, abdomen, and around the vent and on the limbs. Males have an externally visible gular vocal sac. [3]
Uperodon nagaoi are terrestrial and arboreal as adults and prefer lowland moist forest habitats. [1] There are records from about 125–150 m (410–492 ft) above sea level. [1] [5] Breeding takes place in tree holes where the tadpoles also develop. [1] It appears to be an obligate tree hole breeder. One female was found submerged in a tree hole, with an egg clutch adhering to the wall few centimeters above the water level. This suggests that parental care might be present. [5]
Uperodon nagaoi is known to occur in the Kanneliya Forest Reserve (its type locality) [1] [3] as well as in the Hiyare Forest Reserve. [5]
The frog is noted to have a possibly mutualistic relationship with tarantulas such as Poecilotheria ornata and Poecilotheria subfusca , sharing tree holes of which some were observed to contain eggs and/or juveniles from the spider, frog, or both. As observed between frog Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata and tarantula Xenesthis immanis, the spider may protect the frog from predators while the frog protects the spider's eggs from ants. [6]
Uperodon is a genus of microhylid frogs. They occur in South Asia and Myanmar. Uperodon reached its current composition in 2016 when the genus Ramanella was brought into its synonymy. The common names of these frogs are globular frogs and balloon frogs in reference to their stout appearance, or dot frogs, the last specifically referring to the former Ramanella.
Uperodon taprobanicus, also known as the Sri Lankan bullfrog, Sri Lankan painted frog, Sri Lankan kaloula, Ceylon kaloula, Indian painted frog, or painted globular frog, is a species of narrow-mouthed frog found in Nepal, Bangladesh, southern and eastern India, and Sri Lanka up to an altitude of about 1300 metres. It can grow to an adult length of up to 75 millimetres(7.5 cm) long from snout to vent. It was originally described as a subspecies of Kaloula pulchra, ssp. taprobanica. The IUCN lists it as being of "Least Concern".
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Pseudophilautus is a genus of shrub frogs in the family Rhacophoridae endemic to the Western Ghats of southwestern India and to Sri Lanka where the majority of the species are found. Many of them are already extinct. On the other, some species believed to be extinct have also been rediscovered.
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