''Peltophryne fluviatica'', also known as the Dominican Caribbean toad or Hispaniolan crestless toad, is a species of

toad Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. In popular culture (folk taxonomy ...

endemic to the

Cibao Valley The Cibao, usually referred as El Cibao, is a region of the Dominican Republic located in the northern part of the country. As of 2009, the Cibao region has a population of 5,622,378, making it the most populous region in the country. The region ...

in the northwestern

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

. It has only been recorded at two localities.

Description

Males measure in snout–vent length; the size of females are unknown. Snout is acuminate and tympanum is distinct. Dorsum bears numerous scattered small warts; those in the paratoid areas are more prominent. Dorsal ground color is green, from bright to olive. There are often bright yellow—orange spots or blotches and a light tan—yellow middorsal hairline.

Habitat

''Peltophryne fluviatica'' occurs in

xeric Deserts and xeric shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Deserts and xeric (Ancient Greek 'dry') shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. Ecoregions in this habita ...

habitats with broadleaf gallery forest, usually close to streams. Males call from shallow running water. Eggs are deposited in still water.

Conservation

''Peltophryne fluviatica'' is listed as a

Critically Endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...

or possibly

extinct Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

species due to a restricted range and continual

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 ...

. The species has not been seen since it was described in 1972 and features on the list of "Lost Frogs". It is uncertain whether it still exists in the wild.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q28004587 Peltophryne Amphibians of the Dominican Republic Endemic fauna of the Dominican Republic Taxa named by Albert Schwartz (zoologist) Amphibians described in 1972