''Ameerega pepperi'' is a species of poison frogs found in central Peru. It is similar morphologically to '' A. bassleri'', '' A. cainarachi'' and '' A. yoshina''; but can be distinguished by its advertisement call.Brown, Jason L., and Evan Twomey. "Complicated histories: three new species of poison frogs of the genus Ameerega (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from north-central Peru." Zootaxa 2049 (2009): 1-38.

Description

Two adult male specimens were both 28.6 mm long in snout-vent length and the female frogs were 30.8 - 34.4 mm long. The skin of the dorsum back is black with red, orange, or yellow patterning. There is more color near the head and less near the vent. There are two yellow stripes from each eye down the body. There are two yellow labial stripes starting at the nares. The ventrum is dark blue with black patterning. The legs are black or dark green in color. There are stripes on the back legs. The iris of the eye is black in color. These frogs can differ in color geographically. Frogs from further south have more red on their backs and frogs from further north have more yellow and orange on their backs.

Etymology

Scientists named this frog for Canadian conservationist Mark Pepper.

Habitat

This frog lives in undisturbed

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and

secondary forest A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has regenerated through largely natural processes after human-caused Disturbance (ecology), disturbances, such as Logging, timber harvest or agriculture clearing, or ...

. The adult frogs have been found hiding next to boulders near streams. Scientists observed the frog between 380 and 1000 meters above sea level. The frog's known range includes at least one protected park, Parque Nacional Cordillera Azul.

Reproduction

The male frogs perch on boulders near streams and call to the female frogs. The female frog lays eggs on the leaf litter. She lays 22-44 eggs per

clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that allows an output shaft to be disconnected from a rotating input shaft. The clutch's input shaft is typically attached to a motor, while the clutch's output shaft is connected to the mechanism that does th ...

. The male frog guards the eggs. Tadpoles have been observed in slow eddies and in pools next to streams, presumably left there after the water level declined. The tadpoles can grow into frogs in as short a time as five weeks.

Threats

The IUCN classifies this frog as vulnerable to extinction. In parts of its range, it is at risk due to

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 ...

, especially in Huallaga. People alter habitat in favor of farms for both legal and illegal crops, for example

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banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...

s, and

coca Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. Coca leaves contain cocaine which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or ...

. People do keep this frog as a pet, but scientists say this is not a danger to wild frogs. The law permits captive breeding.

References

External links

* pepperi Amphibians of Peru Amphibians described in 2009 {{Dendrobatidae-stub