Charadrahyla nephila is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Mexico and occurs in the Sierra de Juárez and Sierra Mixe in the northern Oaxacan highlands; there is also a questionable record from the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz. Prior to its description, it was mixed with Hyla chaneque (now Charadrahyla chaneque).[2][3] The specific name nephila is derived from Greek nephos ("cloud") and philia ("fondness"), referring to the cloud forest habitat of this species.[2] Common name Oaxacan cloud-forest treefrog has been coined for it.[1][3]
| Charadrahyla nephila | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hylidae |
| Genus: | Charadrahyla |
| Species: | C. nephila
|
| Binomial name | |
| Charadrahyla nephila | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
|
Hyla nephila Mendelson and Campbell, 1999[2] | |
Description
editAdult males measure 53–62 mm (2.1–2.4 in) and adult females 60–81 mm (2.4–3.2 in) in snout–vent length. The body is slender. The snout is rounded. The tympanum is distinct and rounded but dorsally obscured by the thick supra-tympanic fold. The fingers and the toes are long, slender, and partially webbed, bearing large terminal discs (slightly smaller in the fingers than in the toes). Dorsal skin is smooth. Coloration is sexually dimorphic: females have reddish brown ground color, whereas that of males gray-brown to mauve. Both sexes have large, irregular blotches on the dorsum. The blotches are usually greenish and bordered with dark brown, but are sometimes uniformly dark brown in some large males. The limbs have dark crossbars. The iris varies from pale copper to bronze and has fine black reticulations.[2]
Habitat and conservation
editCharadrahyla nephila inhabits mesic cloud forests at elevations of 680–2,256 m (2,231–7,402 ft) above sea level. It is commonly found in or near streams and low vegetation. Breeding presumably takes place in streams.[1][2] It is nocturnal.[2]
Charadrahyla nephila is a common species, but its habitat is suffering from a high degree of disturbance. Tadpoles have been found with symptoms indicative of chytridiomycosis, representing an additional threat. It is not known to occur in any protected area.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Charadrahyla nephila". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T55577A53956489. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T55577A53956489.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Mendelson, Joseph R. III & Campbell, Jonathan A. (1999). "The taxonomic status of populations referred to Hyla chaneque in southern Mexico, with the description of a new treefrog from Oaxaca". Journal of Herpetology. 33 (1): 80–86. doi:10.2307/1565545. JSTOR 1565545.
- ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Charadrahyla nephila (Mendelson and Campbell, 1999)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 30 January 2018.