''Ameerega braccata'', formerly ''Epipedobates braccatus'', is a species of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

in the family

Dendrobatidae Poison dart frog (also known as dart-poison frog, poison frog or formerly known as poison arrow frog) is the common name of a group of frogs in the Family (biology), family Dendrobatidae which are native to tropical Central America, Central an ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the Central-West Region of Brazil and is known from southern

Mato Grosso Mato Grosso ( – ) is one of the states of Brazil, the List of Brazilian states by area, third largest by area, located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible ...

Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul ( ) is one of Federative units of Brazil, Brazil's 27 federal units, located in the southern part of the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West Region, bordering five Brazilian states: Mato Grosso (to the north), Goiás and ...

, and southwestern

Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian States of Brazil, state located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District (Brazil), Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Ge ...

states; however, it is likely that its true range extends into adjacent Bolivia and Paraguay.

Description

''Ameerega braccata'' are relatively small frogs measuring in

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the mos ...

. Skin is slightly granular. The fingers bear small discs. The dorsum is dark brown with pale brown marbling and, in most individuals, yellowish spots. The flanks are black. There are two yellowish white to yellow dorsolateral stripes extending from the tip of the snout to the groin. The belly is brownish white with scattered small black spots. The chest and throat are brown. ''Ameerega braccata'' produces several types of calls. The male advertisement call consists of a single, unpulsed note lasting about 0.1 seconds, with a frequency range from 3.5 to 4.2 kHz. The territorial call is composed of 5–6 repeated notes that are structurally similar to the advertisement call notes. The courtship call is emitted in close-range male–female interactions. These calls consist of short notes (duration 0.04 seconds) and may reach frequencies of 2.2–5.3 kHz.

Diet

''Ameerega braccata'' has a specialized diet in ants, termites, and mites. Additionally, the abundance of consumed prey differed among the males and females of this species.

Habitat and conservation

This frog inhabits

gallery forest A gallery forest is one formed as a corridor along rivers or wetlands, projecting into landscapes that are otherwise only sparsely treed such as savannas, grasslands, or deserts. The gallery forest maintains a more temperate microclimate above th ...

s in the

Cerrado The Cerrado () is a vast ecoregion of Tropics, tropical savanna in central Brazil, being present in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Paraná ...

and could be found amidst leaf litter; they have also been recorded in more open areas. This frog has been observed between 180 and 260 meters above sea level. The eggs are deposited on land; the larvae are then transported (in at least one occasion, by the male) to streams where they develop further. ''Ameerega braccata'' does not adapt well to anthropogenic disturbance and is therefore threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

caused by agriculture (both crops and livestock) and by fires. It is present in the Pantanal Matogrossense and

Chapada dos Guimarães National Park The Chapada dos Guimarães National Park () is a national park in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is a region of rugged terrain with dramatic cliffs and waterfalls, and contains the geographical centre of the continent. Background The origi ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q28053336 braccata Endemic frogs of Brazil Amphibians described in 1864 Taxa named by Franz Steindachner Taxonomy articles created by Polbot