Nyctimystes avocalis

Nyctimystes avocalis is a species of frog in the family Pelodryadidae.[3] It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and is only known from its type locality on the east slope of Goodenough Island, one of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands.[3] It has been given the common name loud big-eyed treefrog.[1][3]

Nyctimystes avocalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pelodryadidae
Genus: Nyctimystes
Species:
N. avocalis
Binomial name
Nyctimystes avocalis
Synonyms[3]
  • Litoria avocalis (Zweifel, 1958)

Description

The type series consists of three males and two females. The males measure 33–35 mm (1.3–1.4 in) and the larger female 47 mm (1.9 in) in snout–vent length. The canthus rostralis is distinct as is the tympanum, although the upper margin of the latter is concealed by the supratympanic fold. The outer fingers are half-webbed. The hind limbs are relatively long and the toes are almost fully webbed. Skin is dorsally mildly granular and ventrally (including the throat) coarsely granular. The dorsal ground color is usually gray and there are lichen-like patches of tan on the body and the back of the head. One specimen, however, is brown without obvious markings. The tibia are irregularly banded. Males lack vocal sac and vocal-sac openings, which is unusual within the genus Nyctimystes.[2]

Habitat and conservation

The type series was collected near a small creek in oak-rain-forest transition at about 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level.[2] Breeding probably occurs in torrential streams where the tadpoles develop.[1]

The lower altitudes of Goodenough Island (below 300 m (980 ft)) are heavily impacted by gardening and fires, as well as expanding human population, but as of 2004, higher altitudes were intact. Nyctimystes avocalis is not known from any protected areas.[1]

References
  1. Richards, S. & Allison, A. (2004). "Nyctimystes avocalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T55766A11362366. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T55766A11362366.en. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  2. Zweifel, Richard G. (1958). "Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 78. Frogs of the Papuan hylid genus Nyctimystes". American Museum Novitates. 1896: 1–51. hdl:2246/4567.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Nyctimystes avocalis Zweifel, 1958". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.