''Rhacophorus margaritifer'', also known as the Java flying frog or Javan tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Java, Indonesia. It is known from several areas in Java. It is locally known as ''katak-parasut jawa''.

Description

In a series collected from Taman Safari Park, males measure and a female 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 snout is subacuminate when viewed from above and rounded in lateral view. The tympanum is visible but very distinct. The supratympanic fold is moderate. Skin is dorsally smooth and ventrally weakly areolate. The arms are short and slender, whereas the hind limbs are long and slender. The fingers and toes bear discs and have some webbing (more so in the female). In preserved specimens, dorsal ground color is tan, brown, or gray. Males have some black specks. ''Rhacophorus margaritifer'' can display

unken reflex Unkenreflex – interchangeably referred to as unken reflex (''Unke'' is the German word for the genus of fire-bellied toads) – is a defensive posture adopted by several branches of the amphibian class – including salamanders, toads, and cert ...

Habitat and conservation

''Rhacophorus margaritifer'' occurs in both lowland and montane forests, including in disturbed forests, 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 ...

. Breeding takes place in streams. This species is threatened by habitat loss associated with smallholder farming and subsistence wood collecting. Also '' Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'' has been detected in it, although this is not known to be associated with declines. It is present in the pet trade, with an annual quota of 900 specimens. It occurs in several protected areas.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2705006 margaritifer Amphibians of Indonesia Endemic fauna of Java Amphibians described in 1837 Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel Taxonomy articles created by Polbot