Lepidobatrachus asper Budgett 1899

Diagnosis Large or medium-sized frog. Pupil vertical. Stout, glandulous body. Interocular distance larger than the upper eyelid. Vertebral shield prominent, as a spindle-like plate on the back.

Known from the Chaco of Paraguay (in Central, Presidente Hayes, and Alto Paraguay Departments) and northern Argentina (in Chaco, Cordoba, Corrientes, Formosa, Santa Fe, and Santiago del Estero Provinces).

alcalóide (lobeline), (7)

Adult morphology Snout-vent up to 70 mm in males, 90 mm in females or more in old specimens. Body flattened, stout, with very short legs, covered with loose skin: when are adpressed, heel not reaching the shoulder. Forearms going beyond the coccyx with the tip of the third finger. Head very broad, with sharp sloping snout and strong mandibles; fang-like. Sharp teeth and odontoids prominent. Head length 1/3 of the total body length. Cephalic bones dermostosed, with granuIar ornamentation. Tongue circular free behind, about 1/3 as wide as mouth opening. Vornerine teeth in two small, round, widely separate patches between the choanae. Palatine membrane black-colored. Interocular distance larger than upper eyelid and the internarial interval. Eyes prominent, dorsally located, their diameter slightly larger than the interocuIar distance and the interval between eye and snout. Tympanum small, latero-dorsal,about 1/2 of the diameter; its distance from the eye being about twice and half its eye diameter. Fingers free; toes 1/3 webbed. Rate of the finger lengths: II-I-IV-III. Metacarpal tubercle weak. The inner metatarsal tubercle spade-like, black, very sharp and strong. Subarticular tubercles very faint. Tarsal fold weak. Dorsal skin gIandulous: a spindle-like, prominent vertebral shield mor or less distinct. Ventrally coarsely granular on sides and belly. Color grayish or brownish on the dorsum; ventrally whitish, partially speckled with minute pigmentarv blotches. Bluish dark-colored vocal sac. Larval morphology Similar to Lepidobatrachus llanensis.

América do norte

NT. Near Threatened.

Lepidobatrachus asper (common name: Paraguay horned frog; in Spanish: escuerzo) is a species of frog in the family Ceratophryidae. It is found in the Chaco of northern Argentina, Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil, and Paraguay.

This frog inhabits dry scrubland and semi-arid areas. Breeding takes place in temporary pools and water tanks on cattle farms. During the dry season these frogs burrow underground, only to emerge again after rain. It can be threatened by fires, potentially also by over-grazing livestock.