''Megophrys parallela'' is a species of frog in the family Megophryidae. It is endemic to

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

and known from a number of localities on mountains along the island's western coast where it is expected to have a wide distribution.

Description

Adult males measure and adult females, based on a single specimen, in

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the most c ...

, without the rostral appendage. The habitus is stocky and robust. The head is wider than the body. The snout is short but with a pointed tip. The canthus rostralis is sharp. The tympanum is small and posteriorly obscured by skin;; the supratympanic fold is sharply angular. The upper eyelid has a short and several low, conical tubercles. The fingers and the toes have rounded but not enlarged tips; the toes have basal webbing. The dorsolateral folds are parallel (hence the

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

''parallela''). Preserved specimens are dorsally dark gray to brown with a number of dark markings, including a backward-pointing triangular interorbital marking. The abdomen is cream with varying amounts of brown mottling.

Habitat and conservation

''Megophrys parallela'' occurs in montane tropical rainforests at elevations of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. It has been found in both primary and secondary forest, indicating a degree of tolerance to habitat degradation. Specimens have found on dead leaves, on a small log on the bank of a small stream, and in cracks of rocks. Reproduction presumably involves stream-living tadpoles. ''Megophrys parallela'' does not appear to be common, although this might reflect its quiet call and cryptic habits. It is probably threatened by habitat loss and degradation caused by logging and deforestation. However, it does occur in a number of protected areas.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2240436 parallela Frogs of Asia Amphibians of Indonesia Endemic fauna of Sumatra Amphibians described in 2005 Taxa named by Robert F. Inger Taxonomy articles created by Polbot