Telmatobius ventriflavum
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| Telmatobius ventriflavum | |
|---|---|
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| Holotype male from Huaytará Province in 2012 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Telmatobiidae |
| Genus: | Telmatobius |
| Species: | T. ventriflavum |
| Binomial name | |
| Telmatobius ventriflavum Catenazzi, Vargas García & Lehr, 2015[2] | |
Telmatobius ventriflavum, the Andean Water Frog, is a species of water frogs from the western Andes in Peru.[3][4]
Discovery
Specimens of the species were discovered in October 2012, during a survey conducted for the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. The population was described as a new species, separate from the nearby Telmatobius intermedius and T. rimac, in the journal ZooKeys in February 2015.[3]
The discovery of the species was unusual, in that the surrounding area is generally considered "species-poor", and already has two species of Telmatobius frogs nearby (T. rimac 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the north and T. intermedius 170 kilometres (110 mi) to the south). Furthermore, the type locality is easily accessible, being in proximity to the highway that connects the city of Ayacucho with the Pan-American Highway.[3]
Description
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The species is slender. Females measure 49.3–55.7 millimetres (1.94–2.19 in) in length and weigh 11.5–19.7 grams (0.41–0.69 oz), while males measure approximately 48.5 millimetres (1.91 in) and weigh 13.6 grams (0.48 oz). The head is flat, wider than long, and makes up slightly more than 30% of the body length. T. ventriflavum has large eyes and a rounded snout; the tongue is rounded and the species lacks vocal slits.[3]
T. ventriflavum lacks webbing on its fingers but has webbing on its toes. Its skin is smooth both ventrally (below) and dorsally (above), but the back is patterned with miniature pustules.[3]
Coloration on the dorsal portion of the body ranges from light golden-yellow to golden-tan, with dark brown, golden-yellow, and red mottling. The sides are tan yellow, fading into golden-yellow or marigold on the throat and belly with depigmented areas on the chest. Coloration of the limbs varies between sexes: in males the ventral surface is bright marigold or orange colored, whereas in females it tends to be either golden-yellow or light marigold. The species has thin turquoise rings around the eyes, which are light grey in color.[3]
Range and habitat
The species is found around elevations of 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) (possibly up to 4,300 metres (14,100 ft)) on the Pacific (western) slopes of the Andes in Peru. Specimens have only been collected from a single locality, a stream that drains into the Huaytará river, a tributary of the Pisco river. The surrounding area is sparse, arid Puna grassland. Most rainfall occurs between January and March.[3]
T. ventriflavum was found in a small stream, approximately 10 metres (33 ft) wide. The stream alternates between gravel- and pebble-bedded pools and small waterfalls and riffles.[3]
The species' range is restricted by the surrounding environment, which is arid and limits dispersal.[3]
Reproduction
The species is believed to have an extended breeding period, with the developmental stages of captured tadpoles suggesting that it even breeds during the dry period.[3]
