Theloderma phrynoderma is a small camouflaged arboreal frog (family Rhacophoridae), part of the T. asperum species complex.From the known samples, it inhabits moist evergreen subtropical and tropical rainforests between about 60-1400 m. above sea level in the central hills of Myanmar.Like other Theloderma species, it is thought to be dependent on small water pools in tree trunks for reproduction, making it sensitive to increased deforestation occurring in Myanmar (Dever et al. In Press).
Two specimens were collected by Leonardo Fea from the Karen hills of Myanmar (then Burma) in 1888 and subsequently described by Boulenger 1893, although he did not keep record of which specimen he documented.Boulenger recognized a close relationship between these two speciemen and T. leporosum, but constructed a new genus, Phrynoderma, into which he put this species, on the basis of its volmerine teeth and notched tongue (which turned out to be an artifact).The taxonomy of this species (as known by these two specimens) was revised multiple times, (described by Dever In press), variously allied with genera Philautus, Rhacophorus, and Theloderma, and variously considered a one of the many synonyms of T. asperum (Frost 2014; Inger 1954; Delarme et al. 2005).
Due to the endemic and cryptic nature of the species and lack of biological sampling in Myanmar, the species had not been collected again until a 2010 expedition conducted by the California Academy of Sciences, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division-Forestry Department of Myanmar to target this species and other Theloderma species, which they found in the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve.
Morphological and molecular characters from the newly collected samples of this species confirm their identity as Theloderma, and place the samples as sister taxa to T. asperum.Devers et al. (In Press) redescribed and diagnosed the species and documented diversity from reference specimens.
Theloderma phrynoderma is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Myanmar and known from two widely separated localities: Thao, its type locality in the Karen Hills in south-central Myanmar where it was collected by Leonardo Fea in 1888, and the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve in southern Myanmar near the Thai border where it was collected in 2009–2010.[1][2][3] Common name Burmese bug-eyed frog has been coined for it.[1][2]
The holotype, an adult female, measures 45 mm (1.8 in) in snout–vent length, whereas three adult males all measure about 41 mm (1.6 in). The head is flat and triangular, shorter than it is wide. The tympanum is distinct and round. The fingers are long, with tips expanded into discs, and partially webbed (basal webbing between fingers I–II, increasing to nearly half-webbed between fingers III–IV). The toes are fully webbed and have discs that are slightly smaller than the finger discs. Dorsal skin is covered with calcified, white-tipped asperities, forming cluster especially near the tympana and along the dorsolateral region. Skin is cream colored and has brown blotches in the mid-dorsum. There is a dark brown bar between the eyes and a dark brown chevron between the shoulders. The flanks have cream-brown marbled pattern continuing onto the dorsum.[3]
Theloderma phrynoderma occurs in both lowland and montane wet evergreen forest as well as evergreen mixed deciduous and bamboo forest at elevations of 59–2,400 m (194–7,874 ft) above sea level. Reproductive behaviour is unknown, but presumably this species deposits its eggs in small bodies of standing water, such as water-filled tree holes or rock depressions.[1]
This species is known from few specimens, but it is not clear whether it is genuinely rare or simply difficult to detect. In general, its distribution area suffers from ongoing forest loss.[1] The recently collected specimens are from a protected area (Tanintharyi Nature Reserve).[1][3]
Theloderma phrynoderma is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Myanmar and known from two widely separated localities: Thao, its type locality in the Karen Hills in south-central Myanmar where it was collected by Leonardo Fea in 1888, and the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve in southern Myanmar near the Thai border where it was collected in 2009–2010. Common name Burmese bug-eyed frog has been coined for it.
