''Peltophryne fluviatica'', also known as the Dominican Caribbean toad or Hispaniolan crestless toad, is a species of

toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...

endemic to the

Cibao Valley The Cibao, usually referred as "El Cibao", is a region of the Dominican Republic located at the northern part of the country. As of 2009 the Cibao has a population of 5,622,378 making it the most populous region in the country. The region constitu ...

in the northwestern

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...

. It has only been recorded at two localities.

Description

Males measure in snout–vent length; the size of females are unknown. Snout is acuminate and tympanum is distinct. Dorsum bears numerous scattered small warts; those in the paratoid areas are more prominent. Dorsal ground color is green, from bright to olive. There are often bright yellow—orange spots or blotches and a light tan—yellow middorsal hairline.

Habitat

''Peltophryne fluviatica'' occurs in

xeric Deserts and xeric shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Deserts and xeric (ancient Greek xērós, “dry") shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. Ecoregions in this h ...

habitats with broadleaf gallery forest, usually close to streams. Males call from shallow running water. Eggs are deposited in still water.

Conservation

''Peltophryne fluviatica'' is listed as a Critically Endangered or possibly

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

species due to a restricted range and continual

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 ...

. The species has not been seen since it was described in 1972 and features on the list of "Lost Frogs". It is uncertain whether it still exists in the wild.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q28004587 Peltophryne Amphibians of the Dominican Republic Endemic fauna of the Dominican Republic Taxa named by Albert Schwartz (zoologist) Amphibians described in 1972