Biology:Brachycephalus pernix

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Short description: Species of amphibian

Brachycephalus pernix
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Brachycephalidae
Genus: Brachycephalus
Species:
B. pernix
Binomial name
Brachycephalus pernix
Pombal, Wistuba & Bornschein, 1998

Brachycephalus pernix is a small and brightly coloured species of frog in the family Brachycephalidae. It is endemic to Paraná in southeastern Brazil and only known from a single location at an altitude of 1,135–1,405 m (3,724–4,610 ft) on Serra da Baitaca in Serra da Baitaca State Park.[2] This diurnal species lives among leaf litter on the floor of Atlantic rainforest.[3]

Its conservation status was last reviewed by the IUCN in 2004 where regarded as data deficient (insufficient information for rating it),[1] but an independent review in 2019 that used IUCN's criteria recommended that B. pernix should be recognised as vulnerable.[2]

Appearance and toxicity

Although very small with a snout–to–vent length of 12–13.3 mm (0.47–0.52 in) in adult males and 14.1–15.8 mm (0.56–0.62 in) in adult females, B. pernix is a medium-large species of Brachycephalus. It is overall bright orange with a variable amount of black mottling or spotting above, ranging from little in some individuals (largely orange above) to much in others (extensively black above with pure orange essentially restricted to top of head and mid-back).[3] The bright pattern is considered aposematic (warning colours) since its skin and organs contain tetrodotoxin and similar toxins.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Débora Silvano, Paulo Garcia, Magno Vicente Segalla (2004). "Brachycephalus pernix". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T54455A11149530. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T54455A11149530.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54455/11149530. Retrieved 17 November 2021. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Bornschein, M.R.; M.R. Pie; L. Teixeira (2019). "Conservation Status of Brachycephalus Toadlets (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest". Diversity 11 (9): 150. doi:10.3390/d11090150. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Pombal, Jr, J.P.; E.M. Wistuba; M.R. Bornschein (1998). "A New Species of Brachycephalid (Anura) from the Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil". Journal of Herpetology 32 (1): 70–74. doi:10.2307/1565481. 
  4. Pires, Jr., O.R.; A. Sebben; E.F. Schwartz; R.A.V. Morales; C. Bloch Jr.; C.A. Schwartz (2005). "Further report of the occurrence of tetrodotoxin and new analogues in the Anuran family Brachycephalidae". Toxicon 45 (1): 73–79. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.09.016. PMID 15581685. 

Wikidata ☰ Q2707401 entry