Paedophryne swiftorum
Paedophryne swiftorum | |
---|---|
Paratype of Paedophryne swiftorum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Microhylidae |
Genus: | Paedophryne |
Species: | P. swiftorum
|
Binomial name | |
Paedophryne swiftorum Rittmeyer et al., 2012[1]
|
Paedophryne swiftorum is a species of frog from Papua New Guinea discovered in 2008 and formally described in January 2012.[1] It lives among leaf litter on the tropical rainforest floor and was named after the Swift family who had provided funds for establishing the Kamiali Biological Station where the new species was found.[2]
Discovery
Paedophryne swiftorum was first discovered by a student on a 2008
Description
The average length of Paedophryne swiftorum is 8.5 millimetres (0.33 in). The back is dark brown irregularly marked with pale or rusty brown mottling, sometimes with a tan dorsal stripe. The underside is dark brown with a paler belly. The head is short and broad with a blunt snout and large eyes. The legs are fairly long, the fingers and toes unwebbed and the first digits of hands and feet truncated. Some of the other digits are also reduced in size. The call consists of a series of four, six or eight double notes and is made at dawn and dusk but also during the day in wet weather.[1]
Habitat
Similar to all species of Paedophryne so far described, Paedophryne swiftorum lives in the leaf litter on the floors of tropical forests where it is well camouflaged by its mottled brown colouring. It seems to be a fairly common species judging by the fact that calling males occur at separations of approximately 50 centimetres (20 in). It feeds on tiny invertebrates such as mites and springtails and is likely to be preyed on by birds, small mammals and even large invertebrates. Reproduction is likely to be by direct development without an aquatic tadpole stage.[1]
References
- ^ PMID 22253785.
- ^ John Shanks (2012-01-12). "World's Smallest Vertebrate Discovered in New Guinea". Sci-News.com. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
- ^ a b c Krishna Ramanujan (2012-03-29). "Student researchers help discover world's smallest frog". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-01-03.