''Pelophryne misera'', the black flathead toad or Kinabalu dwarf toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to northwestern Borneo and known from Sabah and Sarawak ( Malaysia), although its distribution is likely to be broader and might extend to

Kalimantan Kalimantan () is the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. It constitutes 73% of the island's area. The non-Indonesian parts of Borneo are Brunei and East Malaysia. In Indonesia, "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo. In 2019, ...

( Indonesia). It was first described from specimens collected from Mount Kinabalu. Palawan toadlet ''Pelophryne albotaeniata'' from Palawan, the Philippines, is morphologically similar to ''Pelophryne misera'' and might be its

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

Description

''Pelophryne misera'' are small, stout toads. Males measure and females in snout–vent length. Colouration is dark brown, with blackish markings on the head, back, and flanks. The snout is blunt and has truncated vertical profile. The skin has warts. Hands and feet have fleshy webbing, reaching the tips of the first three fingers in the hands. ''Pelophryne misera'' are sexually dimorphic: males have a median subgular vocal sac, a row of yellow or brown spinules under the mandible, and a yellow or brown

nuptial pad A nuptial pad (also known as thumb pad, or nuptial excrescence) is a secondary sex characteristic present on some mature male frogs and salamanders. Triggered by androgen hormones, this breeding gland (a type of mucous gland) appears as a spiked ...

on the first finger. They also have minute spinules distributed over their whole dorsum.

Reproduction

Males are calling from shrubs up to above the ground. Eggs are laid in small water-filled terrestrial depressions or water-filled leaf-cups of pitcher plants. Based on just one clutch, there are about 10 eggs measuring in diameter; low fecundity is typical for the genus. Eggs hatch into tadpoles after 16 days and metamorphose after 44 days. Tadpoles are endotrophic (developing without external food sources).

Habitat and conservation

Natural habitats of ''Pelophryne misera'' are montane elfin forests above

asl American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States of America and most of Anglophone Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual language that is express ...

. Adult toads are largely terrestrial and live in leaf-litter, rock crevices, and holes in the ground. ''Pelophryne misera'' is threatened by habitat loss caused by logging, although this mainly takes place at lower altitudes. Infrastructure development for tourism is also a potential threat. The species occurs in the

Kinabalu Park Kinabalu Park ( ms, Taman Kinabalu), established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its "outstanding universal values" and the role as one of ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2237116 misera Endemic fauna of Borneo Endemic fauna of Malaysia Amphibians of Malaysia Amphibians described in 1890 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by François Mocquard Amphibians of Borneo Fauna of Mount Kinabalu Fauna of the Borneo montane rain forests