Description
provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
This is a small frog (males up to 23 mm, females up to 29 mm). Rounded snout with moderately sharp and concave canthus rostralis and flat loreal region. The tympanum, columella, and tympanic cavity are all lacking. Vomerine dentigerous processes are absent. The temporal region is swollen, somewhat resembling a parotoid gland. Finger I is shorter than Finger II. Short hindlimbs. Both outer and inner metatarsal tubercles are present, with the inner metatarsal tubercle equal to or slightly larger than the outer. Dorsolateral folds are absent. Areolate skin on both dorsum and venter. Males have nuptial pads on both Finger I and Finger II, but lack a vocal sac and vocal slits (Lynch 1975).Dorsum is gray to brown (dull brown to pale tan) and may or may not be mottled. Venter is gray or has dark mottling. The throat is paler than the venter, and males have an orange cast to the throat (Lynch 1975).This species was formerly known as Phrynopus cophites but was transferred into the genus Bryophryne by Hedges et al. (2008). The specific epithet cophites comes from the Greek kophos = deaf, in allusion to the absence of the middle and external ear in this species.
- Catenazzi, A. (2006). ''Phrynopus cophites. Reproduction.'' Herpetological Review, 37, 206.
- De la Riva, I., Aparicio, J., and Ninon Ríos, J. (2005). ''New species of Telmatobius (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from humid paramo of Peru and Bolivia.'' Journal of Herpetology, 39, 409-416.
- De la Riva, I., and Chaparro, J. C. (2005). ''A new species of tree frog from the Andes of southeastern Peru (Anura: Hylidae: Hyla).'' Amphibia-Reptilia, 26, 515-521.
- Lehr, E. (2006). ''Taxonomic status of some species of Peruvian Phrynopus (Anura: Leptodactylidae), with the description of a new species from the Andes of southern Peru.'' Herpetologica, 62, 331-347.
- Lehr, E., and Catenazzi, A. (2008). ''A new species of Bryophryne (Anura: Strabomantidae) from southern Peru.'' Zootaxa, 1784, 1-10.
- Lehr, E., and Catenazzi, A. (2009). ''A new species of minute Noblella (Anura: Strabomantidae) from southern Peru: the smallest frog of the Andes.'' Copeia, 2009, 148-156.
- Lynch, J.D. (1975). ''A review of the Andean leptodactylid genus Phrynopus.'' Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History, The University of Kansas, 35, 1-51.
- author
- Alessandro Catenazzi
Distribution and Habitat
provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
Endemic to southern Peru. This species is presently known only from the eastern side of the Cordillera de Paucartambo, a mountain range between the larger Cordillera de Urubamba (to the north) and Cordillera de Vilcanota (to the south), in the Provincia de Paurcartambo, Region Cusco, Peru. It occupies moist puna grassland and elfin forest habitats between 3400 and 3700 m elevation.
- author
- Alessandro Catenazzi
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
This is a direct-developing species. Females lay and attend ~20 eggs, ~4 mm in diameter until hatching occurs; froglets measure 6-7 mm (Catenazzi 2006). Males lack vocal and auditory apparatus and probably do not call. Lehr (2006) noted the presence of nuptial pads on fingers I and II of males. Bryophryne cophites and Psychrophrynella usurpator occur sympatrically in the area of Abra Acanacu (=Acjanaco, Acanaco), Provincia de Paucartambo, Region de Cusco, at 3450m asl (Lynch, 1975). This species is also sympatric with Gastrotheca excubitor, Gastrotheca marsupiata and Telmatobius timens (De la Riva et al. 2005). Other species occurring in the same areas (although not directly in sympatry with B. cophites) are: B. nubilosus, Noblella pygmaea (Lehr and Catenazzi 2008, 2009) and "Hyla" antoniiochoai.
- author
- Alessandro Catenazzi
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
The type locality of B. cophites is inside Manu National Park, which forms part of the SINANPE (Sistema Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas) in Peru and is a Reserve of Biosphere and World Heritage Site. Populations of B. cophites are currently threatened by anthropic disturbance (fires and grazing), climate change, and by the recent arrival of the disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.
- author
- Alessandro Catenazzi
Bryophryne cophites
provided by wikipedia EN
Bryophryne cophites, also known as the Cusco Andes frog or the Cuzco Andes frog, is a species of frog in the family Strabomantidae. It is endemic to Peru and known only from slopes of the Abra Acanacu (also spelled Acjanaco or Acanaco) in the Cordillera de Paucartambo, Cusco Region.[1][3] There is an unconfirmed record from a neighboring mountain range, so this species might be more widespread than current knowledge suggests.[1]
Description
Adult males measure 18–23 mm (0.7–0.9 in) and adult females 22–29 mm (0.9–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The head is narrower than the body. The snout is short, rounded in dorsal view and rounded to truncate in lateral view. Tympanum is absent. The canthus rostralis is moderately sharp. Skin is dorsally finely areolate, becoming coarser towards the flanks and the ventrum. The hind limbs are very short. No inter-digital webbing is present. Dorsal coloration is dull brown to pale tan, or has a mottled pattern of olive-brown and black to brown and greenish yellow or red. The venter is dull gray. The throat in males has an orange cast.[2]
Reproduction occurs through direct development (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage[4]): females lay about 20 eggs that hatch as 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long froglets; they guard their eggs in a nest of moss.[1]
Habitat and conservation
Bryophryne cophites is a terrestrial frog that is primarily found in wet puna grasslands and elfin forests at elevations of 3,200–3,800 m (10,500–12,500 ft) above sea level. It has also been recorded in cloud forest but is very rare in that habitat.[1]
The species occurs in the Manú National Park. It can be very abundant in a suitable habitat, but is only known with confidence from three locations. Habitat loss is occurring along the western boundary of the park, caused by grazing cattle and fires; a fire has led to documented loss of at least one local occurrence of this species. The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has been detected in this species, but it is not considered a threat for direct-developing frogs such as this one.[1]
References
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Bryophryne cophites: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Bryophryne cophites, also known as the Cusco Andes frog or the Cuzco Andes frog, is a species of frog in the family Strabomantidae. It is endemic to Peru and known only from slopes of the Abra Acanacu (also spelled Acjanaco or Acanaco) in the Cordillera de Paucartambo, Cusco Region. There is an unconfirmed record from a neighboring mountain range, so this species might be more widespread than current knowledge suggests.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
