Vitreorana ritae

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Vitreorana ritae
Vitreorana ritae.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Centrolenidae
Genus: Vitreorana
Species:
V. ritae
Binomial name
Vitreorana ritae
(Lutz, 1952)
Synonyms
  • Centrolene ritaeLutz in Lutz and Kloss, 1952
  • Cochranella ritae(Lutz, 1952)
  • Centrolenella ritae(Lutz, 1952)
  • Centrolenella oyampiensisLescure, 1975
  • Centrolenella oyampiensisLescure, 1975
  • Cochranella oyampiensis(Lescure, 1975)
  • Vitreorana oyampiensis(Lescure, 1975)
  • Centrolenella ametarsiaFlores, 1987
  • Cochranella ametarsia(Flores, 1987) [2]
  • Centrolenella ametarsiaFlores, 1987

Vitreorana ritae is a species of frog in the glass frog family (Centrolenidae). [3] It is found in Amazonian Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and in southern Guyana, eastern Suriname, and French Guiana. [4] Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss. [1]

Contents

Formerly, this species was considered to be distinct from Vitreorana oyampiensis, but now the two populations are considered as conspecific.

Description

Vitreorana ritae is a tiny glass frog that lacks humeral spines in males and has a lobed liver. Adult males measure 17–21 mm (0.67–0.83 in) from the snout to the vent, while the females are a bit larger at about 19.5–24.5 mm (0.77–0.96 in) snout-vent length. Its snout tip is neatly rounded. The translucent eardrum is visible but not large, measuring about one-fourth to one-third of the eye's diameter; the tympanic annulus is not hidden except for the dorsal margin which is covered by the supratympanic fold. [5]

Amapa, Brazil Vitreorana ritae (10.5852-ejt.2022.836.1919) Figure 9 (cropped).png
Amapá, Brazil

Their color looks pale green above, but in fact this is much due to their green skeleton being visible through the weakly pigmented skin. This species has many clear and fine blackish spots decorating its upperside, which may appear as if they were suspended a bit above the greenish background in very weakly pigmented specimens. Helena's glass frog, V. helenae on the other hand has a more heavily pigmented yellowish-green upperside (but also the characteristic spots, which led to them being confused). The back has a smooth shagreen-like texture, while the entirely transparent belly skin has a grainy surface. The forward quarter to half of the parietal (outer) peritoneum is white, while the rest is transparent, allowing to see the frog's interior. The pericardium and the inner peritoneum covering the gastrointestinal tract are white, while the inner peritoneum protecting the brown lobes of the liver is also transparent except for the anterior tip (where some iridophores may be present). The iris is greyish white with a network of thin dark grey lines; in Helena's glass frog it is bright yellow. Melanophores are abundant on the dorsal surface of the two outer but absent on the two inner fingers. Preserved specimens are lavender above, with the dark spotting remaining unchanged; the white iridophores of the viscera can dissolve in preserved specimens. [5]

The dentigerous process of the vomer carries one tooth at most; it can be entirely toothless. The males have a type-I nuptial pad; the prepollex stands out at the base of the first finger. The toes and the outer two fingers of V. ritae are webbed; the first two fingers (of which the first is a bit longer) are completely free. The webbing formula for the outer fingers is III (2−-21/3) – (1+-2−) IV; for the toes, it is I 1 – (2−-2) II (1-1+) – (2-21/4) III (1+-11/2) – 2+ IV (2-21/3) – 1 V. [5]

The disc at the tip of the third finger is mid-sized, larger than the eardrum but less than half the diameter of the eye. This species has tubercles on the thighs below the vent, but only low folds with no iridophores on the ulna and inner tarsus. [5]

Ecology

Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and rivers; it is usually found in riparian vegetation. Occurring at elevations below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) ASL; it is apparently also absent from the coastlands up to some dozen meters above sea level. [6]

The calls of this species have supposedly been described at least twice, but it is not clear whether they are actually of V. ritae; one description appears to be of C. midas calls instead. The other notes that the males call sitting on the upperside of leaves, usually giving very brief (0.10–0.15 seconds) calls that are loudest around 4640–5160 Hz singly or doubly, but apparently never three in a row – Helena's glass frog (V. helenae) gives double or triple but apparently never single calls. It is unknown if and how the males physically fight for females. The clutches are deposited on either side of leaves above small streams; after hatching the tadpoles drop into the water. Other aspects of its reproduction, as well as its tadpoles, remain undescribed as of 2008. [7]

Though tiny and inconspicuous, it is not considered a particularly rare species. With a considerable range including several protected areas and apparently able to live in secondary forest and tolerate some amount of human use of its habitat, it is not considered threatened by the IUCN. [6]

Systematics and taxonomy

This frog has a complicated taxonomic history: it was initially described in the genus Centrolenella, which is nowadays included in Centrolene . In 2009, it was transferred further to Vitreorana . [4]

In 2008, it was found to include that the frogs that had been described as Centrolenella ametarsia are indistinguishable from the present species. [5] The holotype of this species is specimen MNHNP 1973.1673, that of C. ametarsia is specimen MCZ A96522. [4] [5]

In 2013, Vitreorana oyampiensis was formally synonymized with Vitreorana ritae.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glass frog</span> Family of amphibians

The glass frogs belong to the amphibian family Centrolenidae, native to the Central American Rainforests. The general background coloration of most glass frogs is primarily lime green, the abdominal skin of some members of this family is transparent and translucent, giving the glass frog its common name. The internal viscera, including the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract, are visible through the skin. When active their blood makes them visible; when sleeping most of the blood is concealed in the liver, hiding them. Glass frogs are arboreal, living mainly in trees, feeding on small insects and only coming out for mating season. Their transparency conceals them very effectively when sleeping on a green leaf, as they habitually do. However, climate change and habitat fragmentation has been threatening the survival rates of the family.

<i>Centrolene</i> Genus of amphibians

Centrolene is a genus of glass frogs in the family Centrolenidae. The adult males are characterized by having a humeral spine, as most members of this family. The delimitation of this genus versus Cochranella is not fully resolved, and some species formerly in Centrolenella — which is nowadays synonymized with Centrolene — are now in Hyalinobatrachium.

<i>Cochranella</i> Genus of amphibians

Cochranella is a genus of glass frogs, family Centrolenidae. They are found in Central America from Honduras southward to the Amazonian and Andean cloud forests of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

<i>Hyalinobatrachium</i> Genus of amphibians

Hyalinobatrachium is a genus of glass frogs, family Centrolenidae. They are widely distributed in the Americas, from tropical Mexico to southeastern Brazil and Argentina.

Cochranella litoralis is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is known from the Pacific lowlands of southwestern Colombia and northern Ecuador. The specific name litoralis refers to the proximity of the type locality to the sea.

"Centrolene" medemi is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. The species occurs in the Cordillera Oriental in the Tolima, Caquetá, and Putumayo Departments in Colombia and adjacent Napo in Ecuador. The generic placement of this species within the subfamily Centroleninae is uncertain. The specific name medemi honors Fred Medem, collector of the holotype. Common name Medem giant glass frog has been coined for it.

Centrolene notosticta is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is found on the Cordillera Oriental in Colombia and on its extension to north, Serranía del Perijá, in the Zulia state in Venezuela.

Teratohyla adenocheira is a species of frogs in the family Centrolenidae. It is known from the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, its type locality in eastern Bolivia, as well as more widely from Brazil, in the states of Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia. The species' closest relative is T. Midas.

Nymphargus balionotus is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is found in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Common names Mindo Cochran frog and mottled glassfrog has been coined for it.

Nymphargus bejaranoi is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is endemic to the eastern slopes of the Bolivian Andes in the Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, La Paz, and Santa Cruz departments. The specific name bejaranoi honors Gastón Bejarano, a Bolivian zoologist and Director of Forestry and National Parks, Ministry of Agriculture. Common name Bolivian Cochran frog has been coined for this species.

"Cochranella" duidaeana, commonly known as the Duida Cochran frog, is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is endemic to Cerro Duida, Venezuela. The generic placement of this species within the subfamily Centroleninae is uncertain.

"Cochranella" riveroi is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is endemic to Cerro Aracamuni, Venezuela. The generic placement of this species within the subfamily Centroleninae is uncertain.

Vitreorana helenae is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. Two common names are sometimes used to refer to this species: Venezuelan glass frog and Helena's glass frog. In Spanish, it is locally known as ranita de cristal de Helena.

<i>Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum</i> Species of amphibian

Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum, also known as the Rio Azuela glass frog, is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is found in lower montane rainforests on the Amazonian Andean slopes in Ecuador and Peru. The specific name pellucidum is Latin for "transparent" and refers to the transparent parietal peritoneum of this species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powdered glass frog</span> Species of frog

The powdered glass frog or Chiriqui glass frog is a frog species in the glass frog family (Centrolenidae). The species is found from north-central Honduras south to northwestern Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centroleninae</span> Subfamily of amphibians

Centroleninae is one of two subfamilies of the family Centrolenidae. It has nine genera distributed in Central America from Honduras south and east to northern and central South America. As of mid 2015, it contains 117 species.

<i>Vitreorana</i> Genus of amphibians

Vitreorana is a genus of glass frogs that are native to South America, from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and Argentina to the Amazon rainforest of Colombia and Ecuador and to the Venezuelan Coastal Range and the Guianas. One way one can tell this type of glass frog from others is through their green bones, lavender-colored dorsal, and white highlighted pigment. This genus has also started to become endangered, especially in Brazil, where many Vitreorana, such as V. eurygnatha due to habitat loss.

<i>Espadarana</i> Genus of amphibians

Espadarana is a genus of glass frogs. They are found in Central America and northern South America.

<i>Sachatamia</i> Genus of amphibians

Sachatamia is a small genus of glass frogs. They are found in Central America and northern South America at altitudes below 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level.

<i>Rulyrana</i> Genus of amphibians

Rulyrana is a small genus of glass frogs. They are found in South America, on the Amazonian slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, and possibly Bolivia, as well as on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central and the western slopes of the Cordillera Oriental in Colombia.

References

  1. 1 2 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Vitreorana ritae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T55324252A88248274. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Guayasamin et al. (2008)
  3. ↑ "Vitreorana ritae (Lutz, 1952) | Amphibian Species of the World". research.amnh.org. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2013). "Vitreorana oyampiensis (Lescure, 1975)". Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guayasamin et al. (2008), Kok & Castroviejo-Fisher (2008)
  6. 1 2 La Marca & Reynolds (2008)
  7. ↑ Guayasamin et al. (2008), Kok & Castroviejo-Fisher (2008), La Marca & Reynolds (2008)
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