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Theloderma

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Theloderma
Theloderma albopunctatum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Subfamily: Rhacophorinae
Genus: Theloderma
Tschudi, 1838
Type species
Theloderma leporosa Tschudi, 1838
Diversity
See text

Theloderma is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, subfamily Rhacophorinae. They are found in South and Southeast Asia, as well as southern China; the highest species richness is in Indochina. They are sometimes known as bug-eyed frogs or warty treefrogs. They are medium to small-sized frogs with maximum snout–to–vent lengths that range from 2 to 7.5 cm (0.8 to 3.0 in) depending on species, and their skin can be smooth, warty or tuberculated. The genus includes species that are contrastingly marked, but most are very well-camouflaged, resembling plant material (typically bark or moss) or bird droppings.[1][2]

Little is known about their behavior, but in species where known breeding takes place in a small water pool in a cavity of a tree, bamboo or karst, with the eggs placed just above and the tadpoles dropping into the water when they hatch.[1][2]

Their sister taxon is Nyctixalus. The taxonomy of this genus and Nyctixalus as well as Theloderma moloch has been in flux;[3] today both AmphibiaWeb and Amphibian Species of the World recognize the two genera as valid.[4][3]

Species

T. corticale (above) resembles moss and T. moloch (below) resembles a bird dropping

Following the Amphibian Species of the World, there are 26 recognized species in the genus Theloderma:[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Poyarkov, Jr., N.A.; N.L. Orlov; A.V. Moiseeva; P. Pawangkhanant; T. Ruangsuwan; A.B. Vassilieva; E.A. Galoyan; T.T Nguyen; S.S. Gogolev (2015). "Sorting out moss frogs: mtDNA data on taxonomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the Indochinese species of the genus Theloderma (Anura, Rhacophoridae)". Russian Journal of Herpetology. 22 (4): 241–280.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b Sivongxay, N.; M. Davankham; S. Phimmachak; K. Phoumixay; B.L. Stuart (2016). "A new small-sized Theloderma (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Laos". Zootaxa. 4147 (4): 433–442. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4147.4.5.
  3. ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Theloderma Tschudi, 1838". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Rhacophoridae". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  5. ^ a b Jodi Rowley (2011-11-23). "Two new species of moss frog discovered". Australian Museum.