''Lysapsus laevis'' 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 Hylidae found in southwestern

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

and adjacent northern

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. Common name Guyana harlequin frog has been coined for this species.

Description

Adult are less than in body length. The body is pale olive green from above, often with an irregular pattern of gray, brown, or black flecks. Some individuals have a rust or dark tan vertebral stripe. There are tiny cream dots around anal region and rear of thigh, and a cream stripe that can be broken on side of body. Arms are similar to body in colour but legs are paler, but with body colour bands. Chin and throat are pale green or greenish yellow with cream or yellow dots. Chest and abdomen are pale yellowish cream with white or cream dots extending toward the hind legs. Arms and legs are translucent from below.

Habitat and conservation

''Lysapsus laevis'' is an aquatic frog of open flooded

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

. It also occurs on floating meadows of large rivers. It breeds in the associated waterways.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2712998 Lysapsus Amphibians of Brazil Amphibians of Guyana Amphibians described in 1935 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot