Limnonectes hascheanus

Limnonectes hascheanus
Limnonectes hascheanus in Ko Lanta National Park, Thailand
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Dicroglossidae
Genus: Limnonectes
Species: L. hascheanus
Binomial name
Limnonectes hascheanus
(Stoliczka, 1870)
Synonyms

Polypedates hascheanus Stoliczka, 1870
Taylorana hascheana (Stoliczka, 1870)

Limnonectes hascheanus is a species of frog in the Dicroglossidae family. It is found in the Malay Peninsula (from southern Myanmar and Thailand to Peninsular Malaysia); its occurrence in the Andaman Islands requires confirmation.[2] It is a small frog, males being 19–25 mm (0.75–0.98 in) and females 21–25 mm (0.83–0.98 in) snout-vent length.[3]

Taxonomy

Taxonomic work by Robert F. Inger and Bryan L. Stuart in 2010[3] on Limnonectes hascheanus and L. limborgi has led to better understanding of these similar species — L. limborgi has been considered a junior synonym of L. hascheanus.[2] While the species are morphologically similar, mainly differing in body size (L. hascheanus is smaller), they are genetically distinct.[3] This taxonomic work has also led to redefinition of ranges of both species, and the range of L. hascheanus (as presently defined) is much more restricted[2] than what was reported in the latest (2004) IUCN assessment for this species.[1]

Life cycle

The life cycle of Limnonectes hascheanus has earlier been reported to have direct development (no free-swimming tadpole stage, which instead hatch as tiny full-formed frogs). Notice that the original observations of this phenomenon came from outside the range of L. hascheanus and probably apply to L. limborgi.[3] More importantly, careful observations have showed that L. limborgi has free-swimming but endotrophic larvae; this probably applies to L. hascheanus too.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 van Dijk, P.P., Stuart, B. & Das, I. (2004). "Limnonectes hascheanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Limnonectes hascheanus (Stoliczka, 1870)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Inger, Robert F.; Stuart, Bryan L. (2010). "Systematics of Limnonectes (Taylorana) Dubois". Current Herpetology 29: 51–68. doi:10.3105/018.029.0201.
  4. Rowley, J. J. L.; Altig, R. (2012). "Nidicolous development in Limnonectes limborgi (Anura, Dicroglossidae)". Amphibia-Reptilia 33: 145–149. doi:10.1163/156853812X626179.

External links