Psychrophrynella usurpator
| Psychrophrynella usurpator | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Craugastoridae |
| Subfamily: | Holoadeninae |
| Genus: | Psychrophrynella |
| Species: | P. usurpator |
| Binomial name | |
| Psychrophrynella usurpator De la Riva, Chaparro, and Padial, 2008[2] | |
Psychrophrynella usurpator is a species of frog in the Craugastoridae family. It is endemic to the Cusco Region, Peru, and only known from near Abra Acjanacu, a mountain pass in the Cordillera de Paucartambo, the easternmost Andean range towards the Amazonian lowlands, at elevations of 3,270–3,539 m (10,728–11,611 ft) asl.[3] It is named usurpator because these frogs were previously misidentified as Noblella peruviana—in a sense, they had "usurped" the name of another frog species.[2]
Description
Males measure 19.5–20.3 mm (0.77–0.80 in) and females 22.7–24.1 mm (0.89–0.95 in) in snout–vent length. Psychrophrynella usurpator is a moderately robust-bodied frog with moderately long legs, without tympanic membrane but with a tympanic annulus that is visible through the skin, and rounded snout. Dorsum is gray to brown with smooth skin.[2]
Males have vocal sacks and slits and call in mid-afternoon. The call is a series of short, quickly repeated, moderately high notes.[2]
Habitat and conservation
Psychrophrynella usurpator inhabit puna grasslands, also bordering agricultural land.[1] They can be found under rocks in humid puna.[2] It is common where it occurs but declining; it is considered "Endangered" because of its small range and threat posed by habitat loss. It is probably present in the Manú National Park.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 Javier Icochea, Edgar Lehr, Wilfredo Arizabal (2004). "Psychrophrynella usurpator". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2004: e.T57225A11604973. Retrieved 14 November 2015. N.b. The assessment predates the species description because the populations assessed in 2004 as Noblella peruviana in fact pertain to this species.
- 1 2 3 4 5 De la Riva, I., J. C. Chaparro, and J. M. Padial (2008). "A new, long-standing misidentified species of Psychrophrynella Hedges, Duellman & Heinicke from Departamento Cusco, Peru (Anura: Strabomantidae)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1823: 42–50.
- ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2015). "Psychrophrynella usurpator De la Riva, Chaparro, and Padial, 2008". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 14 November 2015.