Pseudopaludicola Falcipes
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''Pseudopaludicola falcipes'' (Hensel's swamp frog) 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
Leptodactylidae The southern frogs form the Leptodactylidae, a name that comes from Greek meaning a bird or other animal having slender toes. They are a diverse Family (biology), family of frogs that most likely diverged from other hyloidea, hyloids during the C ...
. It is found in the
Pampas The Pampas (from the qu, pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil ...
of northeastern
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
,
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, and southern
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 ...
.


Description

Males measure and females in snout–vent length. It shows extensive variation in patterns of dorsal coloration and in morphology.


Phylogeography

''Pseudopaludicola falcipes'' shows a high level of genetic diversity but, contrary to what might expected for a small frog, no significant differentiation across its distribution range. This situation is probably possible because of the homogeneity of its habitat, the Pampean grasslands, large population sizes, and passive mechanisms of dispersal (
hydrochory In Spermatophyte plants, seed dispersal is the movement, spread or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their seeds, including both abiotic vectors, ...
). Molecular data nevertheless suggest that ''Pseudopaludicola falcipes'' is divided into two populations, the larger one in Argentina and Uruguay, and the smaller one in Brazil. These populations are estimated to have separated some 1 million years ago, and become into contact again some 260 thousand years ago, permitting gene flow and leading to
genetic admixture Genetic admixture occurs when previously diverged or isolated genetic lineages mix.⅝ Admixture results in the introduction of new genetic lineages into a population. Examples Climatic cycles facilitate genetic admixture in cold periods and gene ...
.


Habitat and conservation

''Pseudopaludicola falcipes'' is a common and abundant species. It is found in grasslands, and also in rice plantations. It breeds in temporary pools and ditches. It adapts well to disturbed habitats and, given its wide distribution, is not considered threatened.


See also

* ''
Pseudopaludicola restinga ''Pseudopaludicola restinga'' is a species of amphibian in the family Leptodactylidae, which is found in the coastal region of Espírito Santo, Brazil. It can be differentiated from the other species of the genus ''Pseudopaludicola'' by a number ...
''


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3409791 Pseudopaludicola Amphibians of Argentina Amphibians of Brazil Amphibians of Uruguay Amphibians described in 1867