Brachycephalus ferruginus

Brachycephalus ferruginus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Brachycephalidae
Genus: Brachycephalus
Species: B. ferruginus
Binomial name
Brachycephalus ferruginus
Alves, Ribeiro, Haddad, and Reis, 2006[2]

Brachycephalus ferruginus is a species of frog in the family Brachycephalidae. It is endemic to Brazil and only known from its type locality, Pico Marumbi, in the Serra do Mar in Morretes, Paraná state. Its altitudinal range is about 1,000–1,200 m (3,300–3,900 ft) above sea level.[1][2][3]

Type locality of Brachycephalus ferruginus
Brachycephalus ferruginus is only known from Morretes, in the Serra do Mar of Brazil

Etymology

The specific name ferruginus is a Latin noun and means "rust" or "reddish-brown". This alludes to the dorsal reddish-brown markings of this species.[2]

Description

As all brachycephalids, Brachycephalus ferruginus are small: adult males measure 11.6–12.5 mm (0.46–0.49 in) and females 13.0–14.5 mm (0.51–0.57 in) in snout–vent length; this miniaturization is associated with loss of phalanges in hands and feet. The body is robust and toad-like. There is no tympanum. The general color is orange. There are dorsal reddish-brown irregular markings; the lateral surfaces have small dark brown spots, and the belly has brownish spots and small dots. The skin on top of the head and central part of the back body is smooth and without dermal co-ossification, whereas skin on the dorso-lateral surfaces of body, flanks, and dorsal surface of thighs is granular.[2]

A dissected female was found to contain three eggs. Eggs are probably terrestrial with direct development, as in B. ephippium.[2]

Habitat and conservation

Brachycephalus ferruginus inhabit the leaf litter in the Atlantic Rainforest. They are active by day; males are exposed on the litter when calling. The species can be locally abundant.[1][2] There are no known threats to this species, but it is only known from a single location.[1][3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ariadne Angulo (2008). "Brachycephalus ferruginus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2008: e.T135912A4220152. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alves, Ana C. R.; Ribeiro, Luiz F.; Haddad, Célio F. B.; dos Reis, Sérgio F. (2006). "Two new species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the Atlantic forest in Parana State, Southern Brazil". Herpetologica. 62 (2): 221–233. doi:10.1655/05-41.1.
  3. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Brachycephalus ferruginus Alves, Ribeiro, Haddad, and Reis, 2006". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
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