''Phrynomedusa'' is a genus of

tree frogs A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several Lineage (evolution), lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they a ...

from the Southeast and

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

regions in Brazil. They were formerly considered to be part of the genus ''

Phyllomedusa ''Phyllomedusa'' is a genus of tree frogs in the subfamily Phyllomedusinae found in tropical and subtropical South America (south to northern Argentina) and Panama. It has 16 recognised species. Taxonomy The following species are recognised i ...

'', as the "'' Phyllomedusa fimbriata'' group". Common names colored leaf frogs and monkey frogs have been coined for them.

Ecology and conservation

''Phrynomedusa'' occur in mountain streams and associated ponds in the

Atlantic Forest The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and th ...

. Egg clutches are laid outside of the water in rock crevices above the water; the

tadpole A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found i ...

s develop in the water. ''Phrynomedusa'' are rare and poorly known frogs. Except for ''P. appendiculata'' and ''P. marginata'', they are known from only a few specimens. Only two species are known with certainty to occur in protected areas.

Description

''Phrynomedusa'' are small tree-frogs: adult males measure and females 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 ...

. The iris is bicolored (a horizontal diffuse dark stripe in middle of eye separating dark yellow in upper and lower surfaces). The dorsum is smooth. Webbing between the fingers and toes is reduced. They lack the flash colors on flanks, preaxial, and postaxial margins of thighs present in the related phyllomedusid genera. Males have

vocal sac The vocal sac is the flexible membrane of skin possessed by most male frogs and toads. The purpose of the vocal sac is usually as an amplification of their mating or advertisement call. The presence or development of the vocal sac is one way o ...

s and vocal slits.

Species

There are six species, one of them probably extinct:

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2012052 Phyllomedusinae Amphibian genera Amphibians of South America Endemic fauna of Brazil Taxa named by Alípio de Miranda-Ribeiro