Aromobates nocturnus

Skunk frog
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Aromobatidae
Genus: Aromobates
Species: A. nocturnus
Binomial name
Aromobates nocturnus
Myers, Paolillo-O., and Daly, 1991

The skunk frog Aromobates nocturnus is a species of critically endangered[2] frog endemic to Trujillo State in Venezuela.[3] It is an extremely rare frog, and no sightings have been recorded since the original description in the early 1990s.[1]

Description

Aromobates nocturnus has a noxious but non-toxic skin secretion with skunk-like odor.[4] Unlike the related poison dart frogs, this species is fully aquatic and much larger, up to 62 millimetres (2.4 in) in length.[5] It is nocturnal and usually found swimming or sitting in water.[4]

The male protects the eggs that are laid on land. After hatching, the male carries the tadpoles on his back to water where they develop further.[1]

Habitat

The natural habitats of Aromobates nocturnus are small cold-water streams in cloud forests. The species is threatened by habitat loss caused by agriculture, involving both crops and livestock. It could also potentially be affected by disease, such as chytridiomycosis.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 La Marca, E. & García-Pérez, J. E. (2010). "Aromobates nocturnus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Skunk Frog". A Library of the Worlds Animals. LearnAnimals.com.
  3. ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Aromobates nocturnus Myers, Paolillo-O., and Daly, 1991". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. p. 487.
  5. ↑ F. Harvey Pough; et al. (2004). Herpetology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. p. 92. ISBN 0-13-100849-8.
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