Rhinella arborescandens

Rhinella arborescandens is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Peru and only known from its type locality near Mendoza, northern Cordillera Central, in the Amazonas Region.[1][2][3] It is unusual among Rhinella toads because it is arboreal, hence the specific name arborescandens, derived from Latin arbor for tree and scando meaning to climb.[3]

Rhinella arborescandens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Rhinella
Species:
R. arborescandens
Binomial name
Rhinella arborescandens
(Duellman [fr] and Schulte, 1992)
Synonyms
  • Bufo arborescandens Duellman and Schulte, 1992
  • Chaunus arborescandens (Duellman and Schulte, 1992)

Description edit

Rhinella arborescandens is a small and robust-bodied toad. The type series consists of an adult male (the holotype) measuring 35 mm (1.4 in) and an adult female measuring 38 mm (1.5 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is reddish brown, and the male had a pale yellow mid-dorsal stripe. The parotoid gland is ovoid. The cranial crests are absent, as is the tympanum. The skin bears evenly distributed, small tubercles.[3]

 
 
Rhinella arborescandens is only known from its type locality near Mendoza

Habitat and conservation edit

The natural habitat of Rhinella arborescandens is montane tropical rainforest.[1] The type specimens were found in bromeliads some 5–6 metres above the ground at an elevation of about 2,400 m (7,900 ft) above sea level; it shares this microhabitat with Pristimantis schultei.[3] The location is unprotected, but the threats to this little known species are unknown.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2018). "Rhinella arborescandens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T54575A3016604. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T54575A3016604.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Rhinella arborescandens (Duellman and Schulte, 1992)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Duellman, William E.; Schulte, Rainer (1992). "Description of a new species of Bufo from northern Peru with comments on phenetic groups of South American toads (Anura: Bufonidae)". Copeia. 1992 (1): 162–172. doi:10.2307/1446548. JSTOR 1446548.