''Theloderma corticale'' (common names: mossy frog,
[ Vietnamese mossy frog,][ Tonkin bug-eyed frog, moss bug-eyed frog,][ and or the formerly recognized ''Theloderma kwangsiense''Kwangsi warty treefrog) is a species of ]frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...
in the family Rhacophoridae
The Rhacophoridae are a family of frogs that occur in tropical sub-Saharan Africa, South India and Sri Lanka, Japan, northeastern India to eastern China and Taiwan, south through the Philippines and Greater Sundas, and Sulawesi. They are co ...
. It is found in northern Vietnam, south–central Laos, and southern China (Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
, Guangxi, Hainan
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
, Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
).[
]
Description
The common name "mossy frog" arises from the fact that its skin is a mottled green and brown that resembles moss growing on rock, and forms an effective form of camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...
. They have large sticky pads on their toes and a soft underbelly. They measure about in snout–vent length.
Habitat
Its natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s are primarily evergreen rainforests and subtropical forest where they have been found inside pools in hollowed logs, placed by the local villagers. It is a semi-aquatic that is found in caves and steep rocky cliffs. Breeding takes place in rock cavities or tree holes.[
]
Diet
Its diet consists of crickets, cockroaches, and earthworms.
Conservation
Its habitat is threatened by forest loss. It is also collected for the international pet trade. Like many amphibians, the Vietnamese mossy frog is vulnerable to the chytrid fungus ''Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
''Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'' ( ), also known as ''Bd'' or the amphibian chytrid fungus, is a fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians.
Since its discovery in 1998 by Lee Berger, the disease devastated amphibian popula ...
''. Nonetheless, the conservation of this species is classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of nat ...
.[
]
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theloderma Corticale
Theloderma
Frogs of China
Amphibians of Laos
Amphibians of Vietnam
Taxa named by George Albert Boulenger
Amphibians described in 1903
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot