''Hemiphractus fasciatus'', or the banded horned treefrog, is a species of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

in the family

Hemiphractidae The Hemiphractidae are a family (biology), family of frogs from South America, South and Central America. Previously, this group had been classified as a subfamily (Hemiphractinae) under family Hylidae. More recent research classifies these gen ...

. It is found in northwestern

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

and possibly the Pacific slopes of the Cordillera Occidental in

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

; although formerly listed for

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

, this involves the similar and closely related '' H. elioti'' (western Panama), '' H. kaylockae'' (far southeastern Panama) and '' H. panamensis'' (eastern Panama). It is a relatively large frog that may readily bite.

Description

Males measure up to and females to in snout–vent length. They have a distinct, triangular-shaped "helmet" on the head. Colour is light brown (sometimes yellowish or greyish) dorsally, possibly with some darker markings. The thighs are often barred. The ventral surface is brown, becoming darker on the throat and chest.

Reproduction

Breeding probably occurs throughout year. The female carries eggs on her back until hatching. Development is direct, with the juveniles emerging as fully developed froglets.

Behaviour

''Hemiphractus fasciatus'' are nocturnal. When disturbed, they may emit noise. Their defensive behaviour involves throwing back the head and opening the mouth, revealing the bright yellowish orange tongue and interior of the mouth. They can readily bite.

Habitat and conservation

The natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s of ''Hemiphractus fasciatus'' are very humid

lowland Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of ...

, lower

montane Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

, and

cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may co ...

forests. The species is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

and the fungus ''

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ''Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'' ( ), also known as ''Bd'' or the amphibian chytrid fungus, is a fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians. Since its discovery in 1998 by Lee Berger, the disease devastated amphibian popul ...

''. A captive colony that has been established at the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, Panama, for possible future re-release into the wild, was initially identified as this species, but following a

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

review in 2018 these belong to the newly described '' H. elioti''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2209962 fasciatus Amphibians of the Andes Amphibians of Colombia Amphibians of Ecuador Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters Amphibians described in 1862 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot