''Rhacophorus exechopygus'' is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and in the adjacent Annamite Range in

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

. Its range may extend into northeastern Cambodia where suitable habitat should be present. 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 ...

''exechopygus'' is derived from the Greek words ''exechos'' (=jutting out) and ''pygos'' (=buttocks), referring to the infra-anal projection characteristic of this frog. Its common names are spinybottom tree frog and Tramlap flying tree frog.

Description

Adult males measure and adult females about 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 overall appearance is stocky. There is a strong, wide, white-edged, horizontal infra-anal dermal projection. The snout is pointed. The tympanum is distinct. The fingers have well-developed discs and extensive webbing. The toe discs are smaller than those of fingers; the toes are fully webbed. The dorsum is uniformly gray to brown above, but sometimes with obscure dark blotch at rear of head. The limbs have brown or reddish brown crossbars.

Habitat and conservation

Natural habitats of ''Rhacophorus exechopygus'' are evergreen forests, including those mixed with bamboo or deciduous forest, typically on vegetation near streams, 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 ...

. The eggs are deposited in foam nests attached to leaves overhanging the water surface. It is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, mainly caused by agriculture. Collection for international pet trade might also be a threat. It is present in a number of protected areas including the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park and

Ngọc Linh Ngọc Linh (a Sino-Vietnamese name meaning "Jade Mountain") is a mountain of the Annamite Range in Vietnam. It straddles the two provinces of Quảng Nam and Kon Tum. It is considered "the roof of Southern Vietnam". ''Panax vietnamensis'' ( v ...

and Song Thanh Nature Reserves (Vietnam). Its expected range includes other protected areas too.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2707171 exechopygus Frogs of Asia Amphibians of Laos Amphibians of Vietnam Amphibians described in 1999 Taxa named by Ilya Darevsky Taxa named by Robert F. Inger Taxa named by Nikolai Loutseranovitch Orlov Taxonomy articles created by Polbot