Spiny Warty Toothed Toad

The male is 55 mm and the female is 59 mm in body length. This species has vertical pupils. It lacks a visible tympanum. Maxillary teeth are developed. The back is full of spiny tubercles of varying size. The femoral gland is not obvious. The back legs are relatively short, with the tibiotarsal articulation extending to the back corner of the eye. There is a wide fringe on the sides of the toes, and the fourth toe is 1/3 webbed. The dorsum is yellowish brown, with relatively dark-colored tubercles. The piebald marking is usually not obvious. An indistinct brown mark occurs towards the shoulders and interorbital space. Limbs have indistinct bands. The ventrum is yellowish white or has thin, light gray speckles. The male has nuptial spines on the first and second fingers, and a pair of closely spaced, large spine clusters on the chest. The spines are thin and densely clustered. Tadpoles are 62 mm in body length and 23 mm in head length. The tail is black. The upper part of the caudal fin lacks rusty speckling. The labial tooth row formula is I: 5-5(or 4-4)/I:4-4. The center of the upper lip lacks 3 papillae. The corners of the mouth have many additional papillae, with some more keratinized (Fei 1999).

O. granulosus inhabits Jingdong County in southwestern Yunnan Province, at 2300 to 2450 meters above sea level, in the dense evergreen-broadleaf forests in the vicinity of high mountains. It is terrestrial, preferring moist, shady areas within the forest (Fei 1999)[617].

Breeding occurs in a ten-day period between February and March. At this time, adults enter the stream. The females lay about 110 eggs, which are attached to the underside of rocks in ring-like clusters or clumps. Occasionally, eggs will be linked together in sheets. Usually, more eggs are found in slower parts of the stream. Individual egg diameter is 3.2-3.5 mm, and the animal pole is light gray. Tadpoles live at the bottom of the streams. In the morning, tadpoles hide between rocks or under rotten leaves in backwater pools. At night, they emerge and swim about sluggishly (Fei 1999).

Though the habitat is protected, the population is vulnerable due to its restricted range (IUCN 2006)[3727]. This species is only rarely encountered (IUCN 2006).

Oreolalax granulosus is a species of amphibian in the family Megophryidae. Being restricted to the vicinity of its type locality in Jingdong County in southern Yunnan, where it occurs in Ailaoshan National Nature Reserve. It is endemic to China. Its natural habitats are subtropical moist montane forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Male Oreolalax granulosus grow to about 55 mm (2.2 in) in snout-vent length and females to about 59 mm (2.3 in). Tadpoles are 62 mm (2.4 in) in length.