''Craugastor vulcani'' 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

Craugastoridae Craugastoridae, commonly known as fleshbelly frogs, is a family of New World direct-developing frogs. As delineated here, following the Amphibian Species of the World, it contains 129 species. They are found from the southern United States south ...

. 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

Sierra de los Tuxtlas The Sierra de Los Tuxtlas (Tuxtlas Mountains) are a volcanic belt and mountain range along the southeastern Veracruz Gulf of Mexico, Gulf coast in Eastern Mexico. The Biósfera Los Tuxtlas, Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve (Biósfera Los Tuxtlas) in ...

range in southern

Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...

state,

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. Its name refers to its type locality on the San Martin Tuxtla volcano. Common name Volcan San Martin rainfrog has been proposed for it.

Description

Adult males measure 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 ...

lthough males as small 31 mm SVL had nuptial padsand adult females SVL. The tympanum is distinct. The fingers and toes bear well-developed discs. The fingers have lateral keels while the toes have lateral flanges and are moderately webbed. The eyelids have numerous medium-sized, rounded tubercles. Skin of the dorsum is rugose with groups of tubercles and short glandular folds, and typically with well-defined parietal and suprascapular ridges. The dorsal coloration is variable: olive brown, reddish brown, or dark smokey gray, and either uniformly colored or with an irregular middorsal yellow or orange stripe; some individuals are mottled with dark brown. The sides are paler, usually pale yellow-brown or tan suffused with brown. The venter is cream to buff. Males have dark melanophores in their chest and belly while females have immaculate bellies. The iris is bronze.

Habitat and conservation

''Craugastor vulcani'' occurs in premontane and lower montane wet forests at elevations up to

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

. It occurs along streams. Development is direct (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage). The species is threatened by habitat loss (deforestation) and its distribution area is small, prompting classification as an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

. It occurs in the

Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve The Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve or Biósfera Los Tuxtlas, is a biosphere reserve located in the coastal and higher elevations of the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, in Los Tuxtlas of Veracruz state, in south eastern Mexico. Ecoregion The area is notabl ...

, but significant deforestation is occurring in this reserve.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Craugastor Vulcani vulcani Endemic amphibians of Mexico Amphibians described in 1955 Taxa named by Frederick A. Shannon Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Endemic fauna of Los Tuxtlas