Hyloxalus vertebralis is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is endemic to southern Ecuador and occurs in the inter-Andean valleys and on the western slopes of the Andes.[2][3][4]
| Hyloxalus vertebralis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Dendrobatidae |
| Genus: | Hyloxalus |
| Species: | H. vertebralis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hyloxalus vertebralis (Boulenger, 1899)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Colostethus vertebralis (Boulenger, 1899) | |
Description
editThe adult male frog measures 14.1–17.5 mm in snout-vent length and the adult female frog 17–20.2 long. This frog has ventral marks that are darker in the male than in the female. The testicles are white in color.[3]
Habitat
editThis frog lives in cloud forests in valleys high in the Andes mountains. It also lives in open areas where livestock graze, in parks, and in human-made gardens. This frog is always observed near puddles or streams. The frogs perch on plants .3 to 3 meters above the ground. This frog has been observed between 1770 to 3500 meters above sea level.[4][2][3]
The frog's known range includes several protected parks, for example Parque Nacional Cajas, Parque Nacional Río Negro Sopladora, Páramo, Matorral Interandino, Bosque Montano Oriental, and Bosque Montano Occidental.[4][3]
Reproduction
editThe female frog lays eggs on the ground. The male frog carries the tadpoles on his back to streams.[4][3]
Threats
editThe IUCN classifies this frog as vulnerable to extinction. During the 1990s, this frog, like many other amphibians in the area, suffered a massive die-off. Scientists believe this could be attributable to the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, but this has not been definitively confirmed.[4]
References
edit- ^ Luis A. Coloma, Santiago Ron, Manuel Morales, Ana Almendáriz (2004). "Hyloxalus vertebralis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T55165A11262544. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T55165A11262544.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Frost, Darrel R. (2015). "Hyloxalus vertebralis (Boulenger, 1899)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Luis A. Coloma; Caty Frenkel; Diego A. Ortiz (February 4, 2015). Luis A. Coloma; Santiago R. Ron (eds.). "Hyloxalus vertebralis (Boulenger, 1898)". AmphibiaWeb (in Spanish). University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2023). "Chimbo Rocket Frog: Hyloxalus vertebralis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T55165A98646577. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T55165A98646577.en. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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