Palm forest tree frog
| Leptopelis palmatus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Arthroleptidae |
| Genus: | Leptopelis |
| Species: |
L. palmatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Leptopelis palmatus (Peters, 1868)
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Hylambates palmatus Peters, 1868 |
|
The palm forest tree frog, Leptopelis palmatus, is a species of frog in the Arthroleptidae family endemic to the Príncipe island, in São Tomé and Príncipe. Red tree frog Leptopelis rufus from the African mainland was for a long time included in this species, but is now considered a distinct species.[2][3][4]
Description
Palm forest tree frog is a large species: females measure 81–110 mm (3.2–4.3 in) in snout–vent length. The tympanum is large. The dorsum is typically dark green to black, sometimes with many light spots giving the frog a marbled appearance. The ventrum is dark and has a granular surface.[4]
Habitat and conservation
The natural habitats of palm forest tree frog are wet forests along the edges of creeks and streams to 700 m (2,300 ft) above sea level, possibly to 1000 m. It also occurs in forest remnants and possibly in towns. It is believed that eggs are buried close to water; the tadpoles move into pools or streams where they complete their development.[1]
It is a reasonably common species throughout the island, although habitat loss is a potential future threat.[1]
