Duttaphrynus noellerti

Duttaphrynus noellerti (common name: Noellert's toad) is a species of toads in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the rainforests of southwestern Sri Lanka.[3] It is named after Andreas Nöllert, a German herpetologist and photographer who first noted the distinctiveness of the species.[2][4]

Duttaphrynus noellerti
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Duttaphrynus
Species:
D. noellerti
Binomial name
Duttaphrynus noellerti
(Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 1998)
Synonyms

Bufo noellerti Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 1998[2]

Description edit

Mature males measure 50–62 mm (2.0–2.4 in) and females 80–89 mm (3.1–3.5 in) in snout–vent length. The head has many ridges (the supratympanic ridge being wider than the others) and is covered above and on the sides with smooth warts with melanic spinules; also, the parotoid glands have such warts. The body and the limbs are covered by spinous warts. The dorsum and sides are reddish-ash or reddish-brown, marbled with dark brown. A well-defined dark patch runs from behind the tympanic region and continues onto the flanks and upper surfaces of limbs.[2]

Habitat and conservation edit

D. noellerti is an uncommon terrestrial toad found in and around tropical lowland moist forest[1] at elevations of 61–460 m (200–1,509 ft) above sea level.[1][5] Adults have been recorded from rubber plantations, tea estates, and domestic gardens, but only close to the forest edge. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by selective logging and agrochemical pollution.[1] It is found in the Kanneliya Forest Reserve,[1][5] Gilimale-Eratne Forest Reserve, and Sinharaja Forest Reserve.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Duttaphrynus noellerti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T54716A156578206. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T54716A156578206.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Manamendra-Arachchi, Kelum & Pethiyagoda, Rohan (1998). "A synopsis of the Sri Lankan Bufonidae (Amphibia: Anura), with description of new species" (PDF). Journal of South Asian Natural History. 3: 213–248. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
  3. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Duttaphrynus noellerti (Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 1998)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  4. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-907807-42-8.
  5. ^ a b Bopage, M. M.; Wewelwala, K.; Krvavac, M.; Jovanovic, O.; Safarek, G. & Pushpamal, V. (2011). "Species diversity and threat status of amphibians in the Kanneliya Forest, lowland Sri Lanka". Salamandra. 47 (3): 173–177.